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ernst haas <tsp> ( cnn ) as art , film stills are often overlooked . the photographers tend to be anonymous ; it 's easy to imagine their work done by the director or cinematographer . their images are often lumped in with the promotional machinery : whether documenting the stars frolicking on set or getting down to business , it 's just another form of salesmanship . which is why the work of ernst haas is so striking . haas , one of the 20th century 's great photojournalists and image-makers -- an early member of the great magnum photos cooperative who was famous enough in his prime to have been the subject of a museum of modern art exhibit in 1962 -- was also a regular on movie sets . it was a necessity in those early days , said john jacob , the editor of a new book of haas'movie photography , ernst haas : on set . ' working on film sets was really important to magnum , and all of the photographers working with magnum in the '50s did films , ' says jacob , now the mcevoy family curator for photography at the smithsonian american art museum . not only did the work pay off financially , but the photographers also established relationships with members of the industry , he said . and the stars and directors knew what they were getting : some of the best in the field . photographers such as haas were entrusted to bring their talent and style to the work . the photographers are definitely producing work for posterity , that very much has their own fingerprint on it , ' jacob said . such distinction is obvious from looking at haas'work -- some of which is as famous as the movies he worked on . there 's a striking picture of orson welles in 1949 's the third man , ' hemmed in by the darkness in a way that suggests the shadowy themes of the classic film . another , of gregory peck and chuck connors in 1958 's the big country , ' is as dramatic as any full-scale movie duel . ( westerns were a specialty . ) but haas also has a way of documenting the artificiality of film work , whether it 's capturing the sprawling , workaday set of 1965 's the greatest story ever told ' or snapping a relaxed picture of barbara streisand as dolly levi in 1969 's hello , dolly ! ' social media follow @ cnnphotos on twitter to join the conversation about photography . the former is particularly interesting : an image of actors splayed on crosses for the crucifixion scene , surrounded by ladders , a camera crane , a painted scrim and several casually dressed crew members . jacob observes that in each of haas'images there 's an eye for the unusual . the black-and-white work from the greatest story ever told , ' for example , is almost prayerful , while the color images call attention to the artificiality of film . and some of haas'other color images , especially his work for 1961 's west side story , ' fit in neatly with others in his catalog , as haas was known for an impressionistic blur of hues that jacob calls the haas effect . ' haas died in 1986 , and despite being celebrated during his life , his name is somewhat forgotten these days . jacob hopes that ernst haas : on set ' reminds people just what a master he was . a lot of these are familiar images , but you do n't necessarily associate them with haas , ' he said . on the other hand , people who know haas well do n't actually know this work , because it was work for hire and was n't ever put together in this way before . ' ernst haas was an austrian photographer who passed away in 1986 . he was a member of magnum photos .	his work from the industry has been brought together in a new book , ernst haas : on set '
ernst haas <tsp> ( cnn ) as art , film stills are often overlooked . the photographers tend to be anonymous ; it 's easy to imagine their work done by the director or cinematographer . their images are often lumped in with the promotional machinery : whether documenting the stars frolicking on set or getting down to business , it 's just another form of salesmanship . which is why the work of ernst haas is so striking . haas , one of the 20th century 's great photojournalists and image-makers -- an early member of the great magnum photos cooperative who was famous enough in his prime to have been the subject of a museum of modern art exhibit in 1962 -- was also a regular on movie sets . it was a necessity in those early days , said john jacob , the editor of a new book of haas'movie photography , ernst haas : on set . ' working on film sets was really important to magnum , and all of the photographers working with magnum in the '50s did films , ' says jacob , now the mcevoy family curator for photography at the smithsonian american art museum . not only did the work pay off financially , but the photographers also established relationships with members of the industry , he said . and the stars and directors knew what they were getting : some of the best in the field . photographers such as haas were entrusted to bring their talent and style to the work . the photographers are definitely producing work for posterity , that very much has their own fingerprint on it , ' jacob said . such distinction is obvious from looking at haas'work -- some of which is as famous as the movies he worked on . there 's a striking picture of orson welles in 1949 's the third man , ' hemmed in by the darkness in a way that suggests the shadowy themes of the classic film . another , of gregory peck and chuck connors in 1958 's the big country , ' is as dramatic as any full-scale movie duel . ( westerns were a specialty . ) but haas also has a way of documenting the artificiality of film work , whether it 's capturing the sprawling , workaday set of 1965 's the greatest story ever told ' or snapping a relaxed picture of barbara streisand as dolly levi in 1969 's hello , dolly ! ' social media follow @ cnnphotos on twitter to join the conversation about photography . the former is particularly interesting : an image of actors splayed on crosses for the crucifixion scene , surrounded by ladders , a camera crane , a painted scrim and several casually dressed crew members . jacob observes that in each of haas'images there 's an eye for the unusual . the black-and-white work from the greatest story ever told , ' for example , is almost prayerful , while the color images call attention to the artificiality of film . and some of haas'other color images , especially his work for 1961 's west side story , ' fit in neatly with others in his catalog , as haas was known for an impressionistic blur of hues that jacob calls the haas effect . ' haas died in 1986 , and despite being celebrated during his life , his name is somewhat forgotten these days . jacob hopes that ernst haas : on set ' reminds people just what a master he was . a lot of these are familiar images , but you do n't necessarily associate them with haas , ' he said . on the other hand , people who know haas well do n't actually know this work , because it was work for hire and was n't ever put together in this way before . ' ernst haas was an austrian photographer who passed away in 1986 . he was a member of magnum photos .	ernst haas , a celebrated 20th-century photographer , was a regular on movie sets
eastern europe <tsp> ( cnn ) -- one of the masterminds behind the euro says europe would have suffered a far worse fate if the single currency had never been created . the euro has struggled to shake the financial crisis which exploded four years ago but jim cloos , deputy director general at the general secretariat of the council of the european union , said the problem lay in member states'adherence of rules . the continent , he told cnn , needs a stricter system to enforce discipline ' on the common currency 's 17 members . cloos'comments come as the maastricht treaty -- the accord responsible for the euro -- prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary on november 1 . read more : lagarde warns against'complacent'europe as one of the masterminds behind the treaty , cloos staunchly defends its basic principles . i think now we all agree that we need more economic coordination , ' he said , but it 's still very important . it has brought open borders . it has brought investment possibilities . it has brought a much bigger market . ' signed in the quaint dutch city of maastricht , the treaty came into force in 1993 and created the european union as a single body . read more : spain turning back the clock on siestas since then the eu has more than doubled in size , including many countries in eastern europe -- formerly under the yoke of communism -- a fact that cloos believes is ignored . i think the integration in the last few years of 12 new countries , some of them are former soviet union countries , is just fantastic . it creates a new boost , ' he said . eastern europe is one of the most dynamic economic regions in the world . ' watch more : a history of defaulting on debt now the world 's largest trading bloc , the eu added its latest participant in july this year , when croatia became the 28th member . but michael geary , assistant professor in modern europe and the eu at maastricht university , believes that although the treaty can be viewed as an overall success , the same ca n't be said for the single currency project and the debt crisis . read more : europe 's economic winds of change he said : without maastricht and the single currency , there would n't have been the sheer volume of crazy interbank lending from the late 1990s into the early 2000s . ' geary argued that the single currency project became too political ' and that spain and italy were never intended to be a part of the original eurozone intake . [ the eurozone ] element is hugely important ; because you 're creating a single currency without a single state , ' he said , a lot of it was based on trust between member states in terms of submitting proper budgets and financial information to gain entry . ' what next for europe ? after a four-year long debt crisis and over 400 billion euros ( $ 534 billion ) in rescue packages paid out , the euro area returned to growth in the second quarter of this year . and now european leaders are now seeking to forge closer fiscal and banking ties , despite a wave of treaty changes since maastricht 's inception including amsterdam , nice and lisbon . read more : serbia eyes eu membership cloos refused to speculate on the prospect of further treaties , describing the european union as a living body . ' but he believes the debt crisis has brought member states closer together . cloos added : i can not say when we will have new treaties . it 's never finished ... we will actually emerge stronger out of the crisis because we 've taken a certain number of reforms which are absolutely major . ' read more : fishing for positives in portugal 's economy meanwhile , however , the u.k. is seeking a renegotiation of its membership following prime minister david cameron 's pledge to offer the british electorate a referendum in 2017 . geary said further treaty signings ca n't be ruled out and any renegotiation might be the perfect opportunity for cameron to claw back ' powers for the uk . but he added : i think there 's a consensus there to let lisbon bed down for a while and see how things play out because the rules are there , the governance is there . it 's just a question of applying the rules rather than tinkering with things again . it should work in theory . '	since 1993 , the eu has more than doubled in size , including many countries in eastern europe .
penn state <tsp> ( cnn ) -- alain bonny knows his mother survived the earthquake in haiti , but he does n't know where she is staying right now . nevertheless , the american college student is going to resist searching for her when he leads a group of students into haiti in may . i 'm dying to go to port-au-prince right now , ' said bonny , 22 , a pennsylvania state university senior in chemistry who lost three cousins in the january 12 earthquake . he was told that his mother and other family members moved to the countryside , ' but he does n't know whether she 's in a house or under a tarp . because penn state 's project haiti is a student-led organization without chaperones , bonny is responsible for all 25 people on the trip , and i do n't feel that [ searching for his family ] is the best course of action for us . ' bonny said he 'll go back on his own during the summer to do what i can in port-au-prince and to seek out my family . ' project haiti had planned to visit the maison fortune orphanage near the central town of hinche during spring break in march , but the earthquake forced the group to wait until the week between final exams and graduation . it never occurred to me that i should n't go . it made me more determined to go , ' said penn state psychology senior liz stock , 21 , of reading , pennsylvania . originally the plan was to go over spring break , and i 'd never had an interest in going anywhere where it was just about lying around and partying , and that 's not me at all , ' she added . so i wanted to do something that would actually be worthwhile over my break . ' stock 's roommate , kelly songer , 21 , of emporium , pennsylvania , desires to bring hope and encouragement to maison fortune . songer , a senior business student , said she wants to go there and help children and to see them smile and have them feel like someone loves them and someone cares about them . and also to show them there 's more to the world than where they are right now , and they can do whatever they want to do . ' each penn state student will bring to the orphanage two suitcases stuffed with clothes and other supplies for the children . the group holds fundraisers throughout the school year and a packing party ' shortly before departure . project haiti was founded in 1997 by the rev . fred byrne as part of the catholic ministry he led on campus . the project is no longer affiliated with the church , which several years ago reassigned byrne to an abbey in latrobe , pennsylvania . i 'm a cheerleader on the sidelines , ' byrne said . ... our culture has such a lack of faith in young people , but there 's a lot of good stuff happening out there . ' bonny , who will participate in teach for america after graduation , has been to maison fortune twice before . we drive into the complex , and all the kids are waiting for us . it 's almost like a parade , like we 're important , ' he said . ... it 's an absolutely awesome experience . it 's like elephants ; they will not forget you . and if you make a promise , they will hold you to that . i owe someone an ipod . ' penn state alumna katie burkhardt made the trip in 2000 and became president of project haiti the following year . she was on a long-delayed return visit to an orphanage in port-au-prince with her mother when the earthquake struck in january . the ground started to convulse ; i thought we were being attacked at first , ' she said . burkhardt helped the missionaries of charity nuns comfort the children and provide first aid to victims before she and her mother got a flight out on january 14 . it was kind of crazy how it all came full circle . my first time of doing a project in another country was actually project haiti , and it just kind of planted this seed , ' said burkhardt , 29 , of frederick , maryland . she said all college students should be given the opportunity to serve in another country . it 's so mutually beneficial . i realized pretty quickly that it was n't just me helping other people . it totally changed my perspective on the world , and it was such a good lesson to have learned . you can sit in class in college forever and you just do n't learn the same kind of things that you would learn in one day in haiti . ' three students from lawrence technological university in southfield , michigan , are going ahead with a working spring break in haiti . since we were already planning to go , we were n't going to let a little earthquake stop us , ' said melissa grunow , the school 's leadership curriculum coordinator . students christine costa , christopher harris and kevin mclarney plan to arrive march 5 to put their backs into work at an orphanage in les cayes for a project called reconstruction efforts aiding children without homes , or reach . i know it 's a time of need down there , so i ca n't wait to help out with my services , ' said mclarney , 21 , a lawrence tech architecture senior from macomb , michigan . mclarney , harris and costa will help lay the foundations for two structures that will house the dozen girls among the 680 residents of the pwoje espwa sud orphanage . i 'm excited i have an opportunity to help , ' said costa , 24 , an architecture graduate student from royal oak , michigan . immediately after the quake , only people with rescue or medical skills were needed in haiti , but by the time we get down there , the next wave -- the rebuilders -- are going to be needed , ' she said . she hopes seeing people coming to help them rebuild will give haitians hope . the man who created the program agreed . haiti does n't need a bunch of americans coming down and doing it for them , they just need some americans to come down and do it with them , ' said lawrence tech alumnus donald stevens , the architect and builder who founded reach after the 2004 asian tsunami . harris , a 20-year-old junior from lansing , michigan , studying computer engineering , said he has used previous breaks as a pause for partying . but he 's up for working in the sun in haiti . they need our help now more than ever , ' he said . mclarney wants the trip to have an impact at home as well as in haiti . i just hope the work i do down there can inspire others to give back to their communities and the world in general , ' he said . i think more people need to stop being selfish and give back to the principles that we 're all instilled with from birth . it feels good doing good things . '	penn state , lawrence tech students determined to help orphans
alaska <tsp> editor 's note : cnn.com has a business partnership with careerbuilder.com , which serves as the exclusive provider of job listings and services to cnn.com . if you 've rewritten that résumé several times and sent out dozens of applications but your job search still shows no promise , you might not be the problem . one frequently overlooked but critical factor in finding a new job is your state 's unemployment rate . you can have the experience and skills of an employer 's dream , but they wo n't do you any good if there just are n't enough jobs available . the unemployment rate is the percentage of job seekers in the work force who are still looking for work . the higher the percentage , the more difficult it is to find a job . the national unemployment rate is 5 percent , based on the most recent data from the bureau of labor statistics ( bls ) . if you 're looking for a job , you should see how your state compares to the rest of the country . here are the 10 worst states to find work ranked by their unemployment rates . 1 . michigan unemployment rate : 7.6 percent population : 10,071,822 mean annual wage : $ 41,230 top industry : trade , transportation and utilities ( 18.4 percent ) * * * 2 . mississippi unemployment rate : 6.8 percent population : 2,918,785 mean annual wage : $ 30,460 top industry : government ( 21.2 percent ) 3 . south carolina unemployment rate : 6.6 percent population : 4,407,709 mean annual wage : $ 33,400 top industry : trade , transportation and utilities ( 19.4 percent ) 4 . alaska unemployment rate : 6.5 percent population : 683,478 mean annual wage : $ 43,920 top industry : government ( 25.9 percent ) 5 . california unemployment rate : 6.1 percent population : 36,553,215 mean annual wage : $ 44,180 top industry : trade , transportation and utilities ( 18.9 percent ) 6 . district of columbia unemployment rate : 6.1 percent population : 588,292 mean annual wage : $ 61,500 top industry : government ( 33.3 percent ) 7 . ohio unemployment rate : 6 percent population : 11,466,917 mean annual wage : $ 37,360 top industry : trade , transportation and utilities ( 19.3 percent ) 8 . arkansas unemployment rate : 5.9 percent population : 2,834,797 mean annual wage : $ 30,870 top industry : trade , transportation and utilities ( 20.6 percent ) 9 . nevada unemployment rate : 5.8 percent population : 2,565,382 mean annual wage : $ 36,000 top industry : leisure and hospitality ( 26.5 percent ) 10 . kentucky unemployment rate : 5.7 percent population : 4,241,474 mean annual wage : $ 33,490 top industry : trade , transportation and utilities ( 20.4 percent ) * unemployment rates , mean annual wages and industry percentages obtained from bls in january 2008 . percentages based on nonfarm payrolls , seasonally adjusted . * * population figures based on u.s. census bureau data . * * * top industries are those that employ the largest percentage of a state 's labor force . e-mail to a friend copyright careerbuilder.com 2009 . all rights reserved . the information contained in this article may not be published , broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority	alaska 's top industry is government
nigerian <tsp> ( cnn ) -- christian eshiett was a rambunctious pre-teen who spent a lot of time cavorting with his friends in southern nigeria . he would skip school and run away from home for days , frustrating his grandfather , who oversaw the boy 's care . children branded as witches protest on february 26 , 2009 , in the southern nigerian city of eket . i beat him severely with canes until they broke , yet he never shed a tear , ' said eshiett nelson eshiett , 76 . one day , i took a broom to hit him and he started crying . then i knew he was possessed by demons . ... nigerian witches are terrified of brooms . ' from that day two years ago , christian , now 14 , was branded a witch . the abuse intensified . they would take my clothes off , tie me up and beat me , ' he told cnn in a telephone interview . the teen is one of the so-called witch children in eket , a city in oil-rich akwa ibom state of nigeria . they are blamed for causing illness , death and destruction , prompting some communities to put them through harrowing punishments to cleanse ' them of their supposed magical powers . children accused of witchcraft are often incarcerated in churches for weeks on end and beaten , starved and tortured in order to extract a confession , ' said gary foxcroft , program director of stepping stones nigeria , a nonprofit that helps alleged witch children in the region . many of those targeted have traits that make them stand out , including learning disabilities , stubbornness and ailments such as epilepsy , he added . the issue of child witches ' is soaring in nigeria and other parts of the world , foxcroft said . the states of akwa ibom and cross river have about 15,000 children branded as witches , and most of them end up abandoned and abused on the streets , he said . christian ran away from home and wandered around for two years with other children similarly accused . he said they stole , begged for food and performed menial jobs to survive . the plight of child witches ' is raising concern among aid organizations , including the united nations . it is a growing issue worldwide , among not just african communities , but in countries such as nepal as well , ' said jeff crisp , head of policy development and evaluation for the u.n. high commissioner for refugees . we are trying to see whether it is a neglected protected issue . ' belief in witchcraft thrives worldwide . about 1,000 people accused of being witches in gambia were locked in detention centers in march and forced to drink a dangerous hallucinogenic potion , human rights organization amnesty international said . in 2005 , relatives of an 8-year-old angolan girl living in england were convicted of torturing her for being a witch , ' according to the times online . pastors have been accused of worsening the problem by claiming to have powers to recognize and exorcise child witches , ' sometimes for a fee , aid workers said . but some are true believers , such as one minister in lagos , nigeria . he pinpoints children affected by witchcraft for free , he said . sometimes , we get a dream that shows us a certain person is suffering from witchcraft , ' said the rev . albert aina , a senior pastor at four square gospel church . sometimes , you have a child who has inexplicable body marks because of struggling in the night . they are easy to identify , but why charge when you have been given a gift by god ? ' aina said . once a child is branded a witch , the stigma can last forever . christian was reunited with his grandfather , a former theater instructor at a university in nigeria . eshiett said he let his son 's child return home because he loves him and he advocates for youth education . but , he added , he does not think christian has been or can be freed from witchcraft . when you are possessed , you are possessed ; no one can deliver you from satan , ' eshiett said , adding that his grandson is a witch because he still exhibits unruly behavior and does not take education seriously . aid organizations acknowledge that the belief is acceptable and popular in some communities . it is not the belief in witchcraft that we are concerned about , ' foxcroft said . we acknowledge people 's right to hold this belief on the condition that this does not lead to child abuse . ' foxcroft , whose documentary , saving africa 's witch children , ' was broadcast last year , spoke to a u.n. panel on the issue in april . the aid worker said he is planning a global conference in 2010 and public awareness campaigns , including addressing the issue in nigerian movies . the nation 's film industry , dubbed nollywood , is a popular form of entertainment in african countries . government officials also have joined the fight . akwa ibom recently added a clause into the child rights act , saying that anyone found guilty of branding a child a witch would get up to 12 years in prison . this is groundbreaking , and stepping stones nigeria applauds the akwa ibom state government for this , ' foxcroft said . but , he added , there is more work to be done , and other groups , especially churches , have to team up to resolve the problem . the role of the international christian community in this can not be underestimated , ' foxcroft said . unfortunately , the fact remains that this belief system is being spread by so-called christians . ' cnn 's attempts to reach akwa ibom state officials through phone calls and e-mails were unsuccessful . a nigerian federal communications official declined to comment .	nigerian boy called a witch : they would take my clothes off , tie me up and beat me '
cnn <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- as president obama marks his 100th day in office , most recent national polls indicate that more than six in 10 americans approve of the job he 's doing as president . polls reflect that most americans approve of president obama 's performance during his first 100 days in office . according to a cnn poll of polls compiled wednesday , 63 percent said they approve of how obama is handling his duties . twenty-nine percent disapprove . the rating is down 3 percentage points from cnn 's previous poll of polls , which was compiled sunday . the president 's approval rating stood at 64 percent in a cnn poll of polls in january shortly after his inauguration . the number of americans who think obama has the right personal qualities to be president has gone up since the campaign last fall , ' said keating holland , cnn 's polling director . that was n't true for george w. bush eight years ago , and it may be one reason why obama 's approval rating is still in the 60s . ' how does obama compare with his predecessors around the first 100-days mark ? bush stood at 62 percent in a cnn/usa today/gallup poll in april 2001 ; bill clinton at 55 percent in a cnn/usa today/gallup poll in april 1993 ; george h.w . bush at 58 percent in a gallup poll from april 1989 ; and ronald reagan at 67 percent in a gallup poll in april 1981 . the 100-day mark tends to fall during a period when americans are still evaluating a new president . the danger period for most presidents comes later in their first year in office , ' holland said . bill clinton , for example , still had good marks after his first 100 days , but his approval rating had tanked by june of 1993 . ronald reagan 's approval rating stayed over 50 percent until november of his first year in office , but once it slipped below that mark , it stayed under 50 percent for two years . so obama 's current rating certainly does not indicate that he is out of the woods yet . ' the most recent edition of the cnn poll of polls is an average of seven national surveys taken over the past week : cnn/opinion research corp. ( april 23-26 ) , abc/washington post ( april 21-24 ) , fox/opinion dynamics ( april 22-23 ) , cbs/the new york times ( april 22-26 ) , marist ( april 21-23 ) , quinnipiac ( april 21-27 ) and the gallup tracking poll ( april 25-27 ) . ireport.com : grade the first 100 days the poll of polls does not have a sampling error .	obama 's approval rating at 64 percent in cnn poll of polls in january
cnn <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- as president obama marks his 100th day in office , most recent national polls indicate that more than six in 10 americans approve of the job he 's doing as president . polls reflect that most americans approve of president obama 's performance during his first 100 days in office . according to a cnn poll of polls compiled wednesday , 63 percent said they approve of how obama is handling his duties . twenty-nine percent disapprove . the rating is down 3 percentage points from cnn 's previous poll of polls , which was compiled sunday . the president 's approval rating stood at 64 percent in a cnn poll of polls in january shortly after his inauguration . the number of americans who think obama has the right personal qualities to be president has gone up since the campaign last fall , ' said keating holland , cnn 's polling director . that was n't true for george w. bush eight years ago , and it may be one reason why obama 's approval rating is still in the 60s . ' how does obama compare with his predecessors around the first 100-days mark ? bush stood at 62 percent in a cnn/usa today/gallup poll in april 2001 ; bill clinton at 55 percent in a cnn/usa today/gallup poll in april 1993 ; george h.w . bush at 58 percent in a gallup poll from april 1989 ; and ronald reagan at 67 percent in a gallup poll in april 1981 . the 100-day mark tends to fall during a period when americans are still evaluating a new president . the danger period for most presidents comes later in their first year in office , ' holland said . bill clinton , for example , still had good marks after his first 100 days , but his approval rating had tanked by june of 1993 . ronald reagan 's approval rating stayed over 50 percent until november of his first year in office , but once it slipped below that mark , it stayed under 50 percent for two years . so obama 's current rating certainly does not indicate that he is out of the woods yet . ' the most recent edition of the cnn poll of polls is an average of seven national surveys taken over the past week : cnn/opinion research corp. ( april 23-26 ) , abc/washington post ( april 21-24 ) , fox/opinion dynamics ( april 22-23 ) , cbs/the new york times ( april 22-26 ) , marist ( april 21-23 ) , quinnipiac ( april 21-27 ) and the gallup tracking poll ( april 25-27 ) . ireport.com : grade the first 100 days the poll of polls does not have a sampling error .	cnn poll of polls finds 63 percent approve of how president obama handling duties
cnn <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- as president obama marks his 100th day in office , most recent national polls indicate that more than six in 10 americans approve of the job he 's doing as president . polls reflect that most americans approve of president obama 's performance during his first 100 days in office . according to a cnn poll of polls compiled wednesday , 63 percent said they approve of how obama is handling his duties . twenty-nine percent disapprove . the rating is down 3 percentage points from cnn 's previous poll of polls , which was compiled sunday . the president 's approval rating stood at 64 percent in a cnn poll of polls in january shortly after his inauguration . the number of americans who think obama has the right personal qualities to be president has gone up since the campaign last fall , ' said keating holland , cnn 's polling director . that was n't true for george w. bush eight years ago , and it may be one reason why obama 's approval rating is still in the 60s . ' how does obama compare with his predecessors around the first 100-days mark ? bush stood at 62 percent in a cnn/usa today/gallup poll in april 2001 ; bill clinton at 55 percent in a cnn/usa today/gallup poll in april 1993 ; george h.w . bush at 58 percent in a gallup poll from april 1989 ; and ronald reagan at 67 percent in a gallup poll in april 1981 . the 100-day mark tends to fall during a period when americans are still evaluating a new president . the danger period for most presidents comes later in their first year in office , ' holland said . bill clinton , for example , still had good marks after his first 100 days , but his approval rating had tanked by june of 1993 . ronald reagan 's approval rating stayed over 50 percent until november of his first year in office , but once it slipped below that mark , it stayed under 50 percent for two years . so obama 's current rating certainly does not indicate that he is out of the woods yet . ' the most recent edition of the cnn poll of polls is an average of seven national surveys taken over the past week : cnn/opinion research corp. ( april 23-26 ) , abc/washington post ( april 21-24 ) , fox/opinion dynamics ( april 22-23 ) , cbs/the new york times ( april 22-26 ) , marist ( april 21-23 ) , quinnipiac ( april 21-27 ) and the gallup tracking poll ( april 25-27 ) . ireport.com : grade the first 100 days the poll of polls does not have a sampling error .	cnn poll of polls is an average of seven national surveys taken over the past week
trayvon martin <tsp> ( cnn ) -- february 26 , 2012 . that was the day two strangers -- trayvon martin , an unarmed black teenager walking back with skittles and an iced tea he 'd picked up at 7-eleven , and george zimmerman , a white hispanic neighborhood watch volunteer in sanford , florida -- met for the first and only time . it 's been nearly a year since zimmerman shot martin to death . the incident generated huge outrage across the country for months and led to a wide-ranging conversation about the state of u.s. race relations . zimmerman acknowledged shooting martin but said it was in self-defense . attorneys for martin 's family have accused zimmerman of racially profiling martin and shooting him in cold blood . ' attention to the case has died down substantially in recent months , and you may have been focused on other things . here are a few things you might not know about the case , which is scheduled for a june 10 trial . 1 . photos , evidence trickle out , seemingly helping , hurting both sides from the beginning , zimmerman insisted he was a victim : martin attacked him , then they tussled , he said . at one point , the teenager forced zimmerman to the ground -- his head hitting the pavement -- and he cried out for help . it was then that zimmerman , saying he had no other choice , shot martin . martin 's family members say zimmerman tracked down and sought out martin , ignoring a 911 dispatcher 's directive , then shot dead the unarmed teen . unless there 's a plea deal , the case is dismissed or there is another unexpected turn of events , the final decision of who is right and wrong will be made by jurors . what happened the night trayvon martin died when they do , they 'll delve into mounds of evidence , key elements of which emerged well after the initial hubbub erupted . for example , did martin handle the gun he was ultimately shot with ? no , according to test results made public last may , which showed evidence of zimmerman 's hands on the firearm , but not those of the teenager he killed . and an analysis showed that scrapings from underneath the teenager 's fingernails did not contain any of zimmerman 's dna , as may rub off in a prolonged struggle . yet zimmerman has said there was a bloody fight before the shooting , and he 's got the pictures to prove it . those include photos , reportedly taken minutes after the shooting , showing streaks of blood on the back of zimmerman 's head . and in december , a photo posted on zimmerman 's defense web site , one that his lawyers say was taken that same winter night , showed the defendant with blood on his nose and lips . read police report 2 . george zimmerman 's legal defense fund keeps pulling in cash -- and needs it as of january 2 , the fund had raised $ 314,099 , according to a web site established by zimmerman 's legal team to solicit contributions to help pay for the defense effort . that 's up from the $ 180,000 zimmerman raised on his own before turning the money over to his lawyer last year . what 's the money been used for ? the biggest single expense remains the $ 95,000 bond to secure his release from jail . the fund has also paid $ 61,747.54 in living expenses for zimmerman and his wife , who are now living in an undisclosed rental home , at a price his legal team describes as reasonable , ' in seminole county , florida . other expenses include $ 56,100 for security , a little more than $ 76,000 in expenses for the law firm and the case , and $ 3,201 in miscellaneous expenses . those include zimmerman 's gps monitoring fees , office supplies and the occasional pizza for interns on the case , who work for free , according to the web site . and they say they need much more money . claiming that zimmerman 's team is already operating on a shoestring budget , relying on individuals who have been willing to work for free or at a substantially reduced rate , ' a message on the defense fund 's web site predicts the total costs of defending zimmerman will top $ 1 million . his two top defense attorneys , mark o'mara and don west , have not been paid yet , the web site states . the state has virtually unlimited resources to prosecute george , ' the web site reads . to finance his defense , however , george relies on the generosity of individuals who believe he is innocent . ' 3 . zimmerman is not just fighting the prosecution , he 's also suing nbc in december , zimmerman filed a lawsuit accusing the network of taking his comments to a 911 dispatcher out of context in an effort to sensationalize the case . the lawsuit accuses the network of removing nearly a minute of dialogue and dead air between zimmerman and the dispatcher to bring comments that martin appeared to be up to no good ' and he looks black ' closer together . the lawsuit also accuses nbc of falsely claiming zimmerman used a racial epithet in describing martin . the network , zimmerman 's suit claims , used deceptive and exploitative manipulations ' to increase ratings . the network 's airings of the edited recordings in march 2012 contributed to death threats that forced zimmerman into hiding , the lawsuit says . the lawsuit alleges that such coverage led to death threats against zimmerman , who wears a bulletproof vest and was even dismissed from his college because it felt fellow students could be endangered . he also had to move from his neighborhood in sanford , leading to various unforeseen expenses . due to the defendants'journalistic crimes , zimmerman has been transformed into one of the most hated men in america , ' the suit said . nbc universal disputes the accusations . there was no intent to portray mr. zimmerman unfairly , ' the company said at the time . we intend to vigorously defend our position in court . ' 4 .'stand your ground'law does n't apply , defendant 's lawyers say the florida law , passed in 2006 , says people who feel threatened do n't have to retreat from danger , no matter where they are . and it became a huge point of contention after zimmerman 's arrest , with his supporters saying the incident demonstrated the precise need for the law and critics saying it encourages a wild west ' or vigilante mentality . but zimmerman 's lawyers say it does n't apply to his case , at least not exactly . in this particular case , george did not have an ability to retreat because he was on the ground with trayvon martin mounting him , striking blows , therefore the stand your ground'benefit'given by the statute simply does not apply to the facts of george 's case : it is traditional self-defense , ' zimmerman 's attorneys said on the web site detailing his legal case . but they do intend to ask a judge to apply the immunity provisions of florida 's self-defense law to stave off a trial on the charges . unstable ground : the fine line between self-defense and murder the law says people who use fatal force within the guidelines set out by the law are immune from prosecution . a hearing on the issue could happen in april , according to the web site . 5 . trayvon martin would have celebrated his 18th birthday this month martin would have turned 18 on february 5 . his supporters marked his birthday with a peace rally in a historically black part of sanford in central florida , cnn affiliate wftv reported . it was a relatively small affair , about 70 people , compared with the thousands who turned out regularly to support martin 's family and demand zimmerman 's prosecution in the weeks immediately after his death . those rallies , led oftentimes by civil rights leaders from around the country , helped catapult the case into the national limelight . trayvon martin 's parents ready to let jury decide fate of son 's killer unlike early demonstrations , where supporters issued loud and relentless calls for justice , the sanford birthday ceremony was more subdued . this time , supporters wore bracelets reading band together , ' wftv reported , and called for healing in the community after the shooting , which divided black and white residents and put the police department in a harsh light for not immediately arresting zimmerman . there 's something coming out of this , and that 's understanding . sanford will be a better community for it , ' said lawyer natalie jackson , who was among those representing the martin family in the spring . two people who were front and center at those earlier rallies -- martin 's parents , sybrina fulton and tracy martin -- were not in sanford that day . instead , they quietly and privately marked their late son 's birthday in miami , wftv said .	trayvon martin was killed by george zimmerman one year ago tuesday
isis <tsp> london ( cnn ) -- british lawmakers meeting in emergency session approved a motion friday to participate in airstrikes against isis targets in iraq . the 524-43 vote came after prime minister david cameron told parliament that the country had a duty to take part ' in international efforts to combat the extremist group . the terror group is an organization of staggering ' brutality , he said , which has already killed one british hostage and threatens the lives of two more . this is not a threat on the far side of the world , ' he said , but one which menaces european nations directly . in addition to an isis-inspired attack on a jewish museum in brussels earlier in the year , europe 's security agencies have disrupted six other isis-linked plots , he said . parliament was recalled by cameron for the vote on military action in iraq , which was approved after lengthy debate in the house of commons and house of lords . any proposal to expand the strikes to syria would require additional action by parliament , according to the motion . cameron said britain should join international allies in combating isis , a campaign that he warned would take years , not months . the hallmarks will be patience and persistence , not shock and awe , ' he said . the government insists such action is legal because iraq 's government has requested international help to tackle the sunni extremist group , which has overrun vast swathes of iraq and syria and massacred religious minorities and shia muslims . cameron made that point again friday , saying there was no question ' of the legality of action given the request by iraq 's leaders and the broad international backing for the campaign against isis . some mps may be reluctant to back a bombing campaign in iraq because of doubts over its effectiveness or unhappiness over past uk military intervention in iraq . but action has been backed by the governing coalition of the conservatives and liberal democrats , as well as the opposition labour party . labour leader ed miliband told lawmakers the united kingdom can not simply stand by ' against the threat of isis . now that it 's been approved , military action could start within hours . uk forces have already been taking part in surveillance missions over iraq , as well as aiding kurdish forces with equipment .'past mistakes' cameron acknowledged that the memory of going to war in iraq in 2003 , when labour 's tony blair was prime minister , hangs heavy ' over the house of commons . this is not 2003 , but we must not use past mistakes as an excuse for inaction , ' he said . there is no realistic prospect ' of defeating isis without military action , he said , and britain has unique assets that no other coalition partner can offer , including precision missiles and surveillance capabilities . it is also our duty to take part , ' he said . protecting the streets of britain is not a task that we are prepared to entirely subcontract to other air forces of other countries . ' last year , cameron suffered a painful defeat in the commons when mps voted against action in syria in response to claims the syrian government had used chemical weapons against its own people . the motion approved by parliament on friday specifically rules out action in syria unless a separate vote is held . it also rules out the use of uk troops in any possible ground combat operations in iraq . cameron :'strong case'for syria action asked about the possibility of a change of approach to syria , cameron said the situation there was more complicated ' than in iraq and that he was not going to change strategy right now . isis needs to be destroyed in syria as well as iraq and we support the action the u.s. and five arab states have taken in syria and i do believe there is a strong case for us to do more in syria , ' he said . but i did not want to bring a motion to the house today which there was n't consensus for . ' british foreign secretary philip hammond told cnn before the vote he was confident the mps would approve britain 's participation in the iraq air campaign against isis , but there will be assurances that they want to receive . ' on the likelihood of britain 's involvement in syria , hammond said that it is not inevitable but that the possibility has n't been ruled out yet . the united states and its coalition partners began bombing raids in syria this week against isis targets . u.s. aircraft had already been carrying out airstrikes against isis -- the group also known as isil , which calls itself the islamic state -- in iraq since last month .'haven for terrorism' miliband , explaining his support for the motion , said that isis'ambition to create an islamist state risks destabilizing the region and make it more likely that iraq would become a haven and training ground for terrorism ' directed at the uk . he said some in the house of commons may be wondering if this is a repeat of what happened in the run-up to the 2003 war in iraq . in my view , it is not , ' he said , arguing the circumstances now are demonstrably different . ' on syria , miliband differed from cameron 's view , saying that he would want to see u.n. authorization for action there before britain stepped in . former defense secretary liam fox , a conservative , said he believed there was a legal basis for action against isis in syria and that it should have been up for debate too . sooner or later we are going to have to do it . it would have been far better if we had said so today , ' he said . deputy prime minister nick clegg , the leader of the liberal democrats , said earlier this week that his party would support the air campaign in iraq because it is legal and has been requested by the iraqi government . also , he said , it 's part of a much bigger coalition , a whole array of countries , crucially including a number of arab countries which deprives isil of the ability to somehow portray it as a'west vs. the rest'crusade . ' hostage plea isis beheaded a british hostage , aid worker david haines , earlier this month and continues to hold another british hostage , aid worker alan henning . the group has also released videos of the beheading of two u.s. journalists , james foley and steven sotloff . haines'daughter , bethany haines , said that she would support airstrikes against isis . ( isis ) need eradicating , they ca n't continue this way , ' she said . they ca n't be doing this to people and getting away with it , no matter what nationality , if they 're western or not . hundreds of syrians have been killed by them , and they need to be stopped . and , if air strikes or ground force , or anything , is what it takes , that 's what it takes . ' muslim leaders around the world have called for henning 's release . they include shaykh haitham al haddad , a judge on the shariah council in london , who has said that whatever your grievance with american or british foreign policy , executing this man is not the answer . ' isis has been ramping up its threats against the united states and the west . this summer , the group declared the establishment of a caliphate , ' an islamic state stretching across the territory it has conquered . cnn 's isa soares and radina gigova contributed to this report .	prime minister david cameron says a military campaign against isis in iraq is legal
isis <tsp> london ( cnn ) -- british lawmakers meeting in emergency session approved a motion friday to participate in airstrikes against isis targets in iraq . the 524-43 vote came after prime minister david cameron told parliament that the country had a duty to take part ' in international efforts to combat the extremist group . the terror group is an organization of staggering ' brutality , he said , which has already killed one british hostage and threatens the lives of two more . this is not a threat on the far side of the world , ' he said , but one which menaces european nations directly . in addition to an isis-inspired attack on a jewish museum in brussels earlier in the year , europe 's security agencies have disrupted six other isis-linked plots , he said . parliament was recalled by cameron for the vote on military action in iraq , which was approved after lengthy debate in the house of commons and house of lords . any proposal to expand the strikes to syria would require additional action by parliament , according to the motion . cameron said britain should join international allies in combating isis , a campaign that he warned would take years , not months . the hallmarks will be patience and persistence , not shock and awe , ' he said . the government insists such action is legal because iraq 's government has requested international help to tackle the sunni extremist group , which has overrun vast swathes of iraq and syria and massacred religious minorities and shia muslims . cameron made that point again friday , saying there was no question ' of the legality of action given the request by iraq 's leaders and the broad international backing for the campaign against isis . some mps may be reluctant to back a bombing campaign in iraq because of doubts over its effectiveness or unhappiness over past uk military intervention in iraq . but action has been backed by the governing coalition of the conservatives and liberal democrats , as well as the opposition labour party . labour leader ed miliband told lawmakers the united kingdom can not simply stand by ' against the threat of isis . now that it 's been approved , military action could start within hours . uk forces have already been taking part in surveillance missions over iraq , as well as aiding kurdish forces with equipment .'past mistakes' cameron acknowledged that the memory of going to war in iraq in 2003 , when labour 's tony blair was prime minister , hangs heavy ' over the house of commons . this is not 2003 , but we must not use past mistakes as an excuse for inaction , ' he said . there is no realistic prospect ' of defeating isis without military action , he said , and britain has unique assets that no other coalition partner can offer , including precision missiles and surveillance capabilities . it is also our duty to take part , ' he said . protecting the streets of britain is not a task that we are prepared to entirely subcontract to other air forces of other countries . ' last year , cameron suffered a painful defeat in the commons when mps voted against action in syria in response to claims the syrian government had used chemical weapons against its own people . the motion approved by parliament on friday specifically rules out action in syria unless a separate vote is held . it also rules out the use of uk troops in any possible ground combat operations in iraq . cameron :'strong case'for syria action asked about the possibility of a change of approach to syria , cameron said the situation there was more complicated ' than in iraq and that he was not going to change strategy right now . isis needs to be destroyed in syria as well as iraq and we support the action the u.s. and five arab states have taken in syria and i do believe there is a strong case for us to do more in syria , ' he said . but i did not want to bring a motion to the house today which there was n't consensus for . ' british foreign secretary philip hammond told cnn before the vote he was confident the mps would approve britain 's participation in the iraq air campaign against isis , but there will be assurances that they want to receive . ' on the likelihood of britain 's involvement in syria , hammond said that it is not inevitable but that the possibility has n't been ruled out yet . the united states and its coalition partners began bombing raids in syria this week against isis targets . u.s. aircraft had already been carrying out airstrikes against isis -- the group also known as isil , which calls itself the islamic state -- in iraq since last month .'haven for terrorism' miliband , explaining his support for the motion , said that isis'ambition to create an islamist state risks destabilizing the region and make it more likely that iraq would become a haven and training ground for terrorism ' directed at the uk . he said some in the house of commons may be wondering if this is a repeat of what happened in the run-up to the 2003 war in iraq . in my view , it is not , ' he said , arguing the circumstances now are demonstrably different . ' on syria , miliband differed from cameron 's view , saying that he would want to see u.n. authorization for action there before britain stepped in . former defense secretary liam fox , a conservative , said he believed there was a legal basis for action against isis in syria and that it should have been up for debate too . sooner or later we are going to have to do it . it would have been far better if we had said so today , ' he said . deputy prime minister nick clegg , the leader of the liberal democrats , said earlier this week that his party would support the air campaign in iraq because it is legal and has been requested by the iraqi government . also , he said , it 's part of a much bigger coalition , a whole array of countries , crucially including a number of arab countries which deprives isil of the ability to somehow portray it as a'west vs. the rest'crusade . ' hostage plea isis beheaded a british hostage , aid worker david haines , earlier this month and continues to hold another british hostage , aid worker alan henning . the group has also released videos of the beheading of two u.s. journalists , james foley and steven sotloff . haines'daughter , bethany haines , said that she would support airstrikes against isis . ( isis ) need eradicating , they ca n't continue this way , ' she said . they ca n't be doing this to people and getting away with it , no matter what nationality , if they 're western or not . hundreds of syrians have been killed by them , and they need to be stopped . and , if air strikes or ground force , or anything , is what it takes , that 's what it takes . ' muslim leaders around the world have called for henning 's release . they include shaykh haitham al haddad , a judge on the shariah council in london , who has said that whatever your grievance with american or british foreign policy , executing this man is not the answer . ' isis has been ramping up its threats against the united states and the west . this summer , the group declared the establishment of a caliphate , ' an islamic state stretching across the territory it has conquered . cnn 's isa soares and radina gigova contributed to this report .	new : parliament overwhelmingly backs uk airstrikes on isis targets in iraq
atlanta <tsp> atlanta ( cnn ) -- a large fire at the southwest atlanta film studio of tyler perry on tuesday night damaged the backlot facade of one of perry 's sound stages , according to a statement from the studio wednesday . we are grateful that there were no injuries and that 99 % of the damage is limited to the backlot facade , ' the studio statement said . the building 's interior , which was protected from the flames by concrete masonry construction , did suffer some water damage , according to a statement from the atlanta fire department . officials do not know what started the fire , said atlanta fire capt . jolyon bundridge . perry uses the facade to shoot city street scenes for his movies , including his successful madea ' franchise . when he opened the studio for production four years ago , perry named the backlot 34th street , as in miracle on 34th street . ' each sound stage is named after legendary african-american actors , including sidney poitier , ruby dee and cicely tyson . the sound stages are where perry shoots his tv sitcoms , including meet the browns ' and house of payne . ' perry was at the complex tuesday night but did not speak to reporters , cnn affiliate wsb reported . mr. perry wishes to express his heartfelt thanks to the atlanta fire department for their professionalism in their quick response and limiting the damage , ' the studio said . the multimillion-dollar studios sit on 60 acres and include five sound stages , a 5-acre pond , a theater , a chapel , a commissary , a gymnasium , perry 's office , an art department where sets are designed , hair and makeup facilities , a wardrobe department , set decoration , a post-production facility and the backlot , according to the studio website . perry 's credits include work as director , writer , producer , actor and playwright . last year , perry topped forbes' entertainment 's highest-paid men ' list , raking in $ 130 million in 12 months beginning in may 2010 . cnn 's alan duke , jane caffrey , joe sutton and justin lear and hln 's mike brooks contributed to this report .	new : perry thanks atlanta firefighters for their quick response and limiting the damage '
perry <tsp> atlanta ( cnn ) -- a large fire at the southwest atlanta film studio of tyler perry on tuesday night damaged the backlot facade of one of perry 's sound stages , according to a statement from the studio wednesday . we are grateful that there were no injuries and that 99 % of the damage is limited to the backlot facade , ' the studio statement said . the building 's interior , which was protected from the flames by concrete masonry construction , did suffer some water damage , according to a statement from the atlanta fire department . officials do not know what started the fire , said atlanta fire capt . jolyon bundridge . perry uses the facade to shoot city street scenes for his movies , including his successful madea ' franchise . when he opened the studio for production four years ago , perry named the backlot 34th street , as in miracle on 34th street . ' each sound stage is named after legendary african-american actors , including sidney poitier , ruby dee and cicely tyson . the sound stages are where perry shoots his tv sitcoms , including meet the browns ' and house of payne . ' perry was at the complex tuesday night but did not speak to reporters , cnn affiliate wsb reported . mr. perry wishes to express his heartfelt thanks to the atlanta fire department for their professionalism in their quick response and limiting the damage , ' the studio said . the multimillion-dollar studios sit on 60 acres and include five sound stages , a 5-acre pond , a theater , a chapel , a commissary , a gymnasium , perry 's office , an art department where sets are designed , hair and makeup facilities , a wardrobe department , set decoration , a post-production facility and the backlot , according to the studio website . perry 's credits include work as director , writer , producer , actor and playwright . last year , perry topped forbes' entertainment 's highest-paid men ' list , raking in $ 130 million in 12 months beginning in may 2010 . cnn 's alan duke , jane caffrey , joe sutton and justin lear and hln 's mike brooks contributed to this report .	new : perry uses the facade to shoot city scenes for his movies , including the madea ' franchise
perry <tsp> atlanta ( cnn ) -- a large fire at the southwest atlanta film studio of tyler perry on tuesday night damaged the backlot facade of one of perry 's sound stages , according to a statement from the studio wednesday . we are grateful that there were no injuries and that 99 % of the damage is limited to the backlot facade , ' the studio statement said . the building 's interior , which was protected from the flames by concrete masonry construction , did suffer some water damage , according to a statement from the atlanta fire department . officials do not know what started the fire , said atlanta fire capt . jolyon bundridge . perry uses the facade to shoot city street scenes for his movies , including his successful madea ' franchise . when he opened the studio for production four years ago , perry named the backlot 34th street , as in miracle on 34th street . ' each sound stage is named after legendary african-american actors , including sidney poitier , ruby dee and cicely tyson . the sound stages are where perry shoots his tv sitcoms , including meet the browns ' and house of payne . ' perry was at the complex tuesday night but did not speak to reporters , cnn affiliate wsb reported . mr. perry wishes to express his heartfelt thanks to the atlanta fire department for their professionalism in their quick response and limiting the damage , ' the studio said . the multimillion-dollar studios sit on 60 acres and include five sound stages , a 5-acre pond , a theater , a chapel , a commissary , a gymnasium , perry 's office , an art department where sets are designed , hair and makeup facilities , a wardrobe department , set decoration , a post-production facility and the backlot , according to the studio website . perry 's credits include work as director , writer , producer , actor and playwright . last year , perry topped forbes' entertainment 's highest-paid men ' list , raking in $ 130 million in 12 months beginning in may 2010 . cnn 's alan duke , jane caffrey , joe sutton and justin lear and hln 's mike brooks contributed to this report .	new : perry thanks atlanta firefighters for their quick response and limiting the damage '
perry <tsp> atlanta ( cnn ) -- a large fire at the southwest atlanta film studio of tyler perry on tuesday night damaged the backlot facade of one of perry 's sound stages , according to a statement from the studio wednesday . we are grateful that there were no injuries and that 99 % of the damage is limited to the backlot facade , ' the studio statement said . the building 's interior , which was protected from the flames by concrete masonry construction , did suffer some water damage , according to a statement from the atlanta fire department . officials do not know what started the fire , said atlanta fire capt . jolyon bundridge . perry uses the facade to shoot city street scenes for his movies , including his successful madea ' franchise . when he opened the studio for production four years ago , perry named the backlot 34th street , as in miracle on 34th street . ' each sound stage is named after legendary african-american actors , including sidney poitier , ruby dee and cicely tyson . the sound stages are where perry shoots his tv sitcoms , including meet the browns ' and house of payne . ' perry was at the complex tuesday night but did not speak to reporters , cnn affiliate wsb reported . mr. perry wishes to express his heartfelt thanks to the atlanta fire department for their professionalism in their quick response and limiting the damage , ' the studio said . the multimillion-dollar studios sit on 60 acres and include five sound stages , a 5-acre pond , a theater , a chapel , a commissary , a gymnasium , perry 's office , an art department where sets are designed , hair and makeup facilities , a wardrobe department , set decoration , a post-production facility and the backlot , according to the studio website . perry 's credits include work as director , writer , producer , actor and playwright . last year , perry topped forbes' entertainment 's highest-paid men ' list , raking in $ 130 million in 12 months beginning in may 2010 . cnn 's alan duke , jane caffrey , joe sutton and justin lear and hln 's mike brooks contributed to this report .	new : damage is limited to the backlot facade , ' tyler perry studios says
minou <tsp> ( cnn ) -- several years ago , when my husband and i went to collect our newly adopted cat after surgery , the vet receptionist picked up the phone and languidly informed whoever was at the other end : minou 's mommy and daddy are here to pick her up . ' wow . apparently i had a baby . a furry one , currently stapled together with a cone on its head . there are various types of pet owners . at one end of the spectrum is the no nonsense ' variety who believe the lines between beast and human are far too often blurred . at the other extreme are those whose pet is categorically their baby . and then there 's everyone in between . for many , consciously or otherwise , a pet is a practice child , a step up in responsibility between none and a lot . something to love and take care of , but that you can leave alone when you go out for dinner without fear that it will die . this is perhaps why so frequently the horse ( dog , cat , or chinchilla ) comes before the ( baby ) carriage . but what happens to your pet baby ' when it comes time for a real human child to join your family ? our baby is due in july , and despite my occasional fantasies that the cat wo n't notice , i know that in reality she will , and i do n't think she will like it . the cat sleeps in our bed , commands attention whenever she desires , and does n't have to share her living space with anything of a remotely similar size . dr. heather thomson , from manhattan 's west village vet , says that more than 50 % of the practice 's clients who have a new baby find their pets are stressed , nervous and upset by it . no wonder . when a pet is used to being the baby , it can be disconcerting to suddenly have to compete with what appears to be a tiny , yelling object vying for the spotlight . they were our kids , ' says caroline krediet of dogs hector and lemon prior to their baby 's arrival . we arranged weekend outings around them , indulged them . put their needs first at all times , almost . ' the same was true for lauren crandall before her son came along . it was all about e.g. , all the time , ' she says of their rescue havanese , he was a first thought always . ' however you see your pet -- baby , miscellaneous family member , friend , possession , colleague , animated stuffed animal -- chances are that it thinks of itself as the creamy filling to your oreo and wo n't enjoy being usurped by a screaming upstart . the dynamic changes , ' thomson explains , and the pet realizes it 's no longer the center of the universe . ' no matter how you slice it , babies -- especially newborns -- demand a huge amount of time , attention and energy , often leaving a deficit for your furry friend . i think e.g . was depressed for a while , ' says crandall , the first four months were the hardest . he was n't getting out as much as he used to and was n't getting the same amount of attention during the day . i felt really badly for him . ' problems adapting to your bundle of joy can range in pets from mild to severe . a cat can withdraw , stop eating , develop a medical problem , deviate from normal cat habits -- urinate or defecate outside of box , become destructive , anorexic , aggressive , ' says cat therapist carole wilbourn , adding that a very anxious cat could even attack the baby or other family members . thomson says dogs can also become more aggressive , often in a misguided attempt to protect the baby . our cat is fairly neurotic -- a kind of cat version of , perhaps , woody allen -- and is not a huge fan of any kind of change , no matter how minute . thus our goal has been to arm ourselves with as much information as possible on smoothing the transition at home from pet palace to nursery . we hope this will help us avoid a kitty mental breakdown . there 's a lot of advice out there for pet owners with similar concerns . thomson says bringing a used baby blanket home from the hospital prior to the baby 's arrival can help your pet become accustomed to the scent . she says some pet owners have also used plug-in pheromone diffusers , which can help to calm animals during the period of transition . wilbourn suggests a multifaceted approach with cats , including a lot of feeding , petting , name-crooning and general attention around the time that cat and baby meet . she also recommends desensitizing the ( poor ) cat by playing a recording of a baby crying , and perhaps having a friend 's child come over to play so the cat gets used to kids , and presumably is then less prone to a full blown freakout when sticky hands grab its tail . she details more approaches in her book , the complete guide to understanding and caring for your cat . ' krediet said when they bought their daughter home from the hospital , they let the dogs sniff her feet and get to know her , making sure never to leave them with her unsupervised . crandall , meanwhile , sums up their approach as ndlb ' ( no dog left behind ) . we call him our firstborn son and he is the baby 's brother , ' she says , we try really hard to make him feel special and not that he has been sidelined . ' but in case you were wondering if the upshot of all of this is a disneyesque house of harmony where pet and baby frolic and snuggle in happy unison , you may be asking too much . while mini-crandall is becoming increasingly fascinated by the furry creature sharing his home , crandall says dog e.g . -- while tolerant -- does not return the interest level . he sniffs him and then goes about his business . ' lack of interest , however , is still one of the better outcomes . some pets never come around to the change in circumstances . wilbourn says it can be a good idea to arrange a worst-case scenario , ' alternative home for your pet , in case all else fails . but there are some happy endings . wilbourn describes one cat who , after an initial show of aggressive behavior , became devoted to the new baby and now acts as a kind of cat nanny , ' standing guard over its little friend , maybe wearing a pinafore ( that part possibly is just in my imagination ) . and according to krediet , hector and lemon 's affections have increased exponentially along with the baby 's propensity to drop food on the floor . hector now even lets her ride on his back . i think they adapted to the situation the same way we adapted our lives , going from crazy , freedom-loving 20s into responsible married 30s , ' she says , i think they 've enjoyed parenthood , too . ' have you struggled to get your pet used to a new baby ? share your story in the comments section below .	katie walmsley is concerned her cat minou will react badly when her baby is born
baghdad <tsp> baghdad , iraq ( cnn ) -- two suicide vehicle bombers struck a u.s.-iraqi military outpost in taji on wednesday night , the u.s. military said in a statement . u.s. black hawk helicopters fly over baghdad in june . a black hawk chopper crashed wednesday in iraq . the attack killed four iraqi soldiers , the military said , and wounded 11 u.s. soldiers and four iraqi soldiers . the incident occurred at 8:45 p.m. , according to an iraqi interior ministry official . eight iraqis suspected of having information concerning the attack have been detained , the u.s. military said . taji is 14 kilometers , or more than 8 miles , north of the capital , but still in baghdad province . police in taji said the base is in the haw al-basha area . police said that when they responded , u.s. troops fired on them and would not allow them near the base . earlier wednesday , 14 u.s. soldiers died when their helicopter crashed in northern iraq , the u.s. military said . separately , at least 37 people were killed and 81 wounded when a suicide car bomb detonated outside a police building in the iraqi town of baiji , north of baghdad , in salaheddin province , police said . also wednesday , a u.s. soldier was killed and three others wounded in combat west of baghdad , the military said . the helicopter crash occurred near kirkuk , according to a u.s. military intelligence source . watch the initial report of the copter downing » ' two uh-60 black hawk helicopters were on a night operation when one of the aircraft crashed , ' the military said . initial indications are that the aircraft experienced a mechanical malfunction . there were no indications of hostile fire . ' the dead were all members of the army 's task force lightning and comprised four black hawk crew members and 10 passengers . the task force typically operates in the tikrit area , north of baghdad . the military has launched an investigation into the crash , the deadliest since january 2005 , when a helicopter went down in western iraq and killed 31 marines . since the start of the war , 3,715 u.s. troops have died in iraq ; seven civilian contractors also have been killed . there have been a string of helicopter downings in iraq this year . in january , 12 u.s. soldiers were killed when a u.s. helicopter went down northeast of baghdad . the brookings institution 's iraq index , a regularly updated compilation of facts about the war , said in its latest update monday before this crash that 67 american military helicopters have gone down since may 2003 and that enemy fire had downed at least 36 . meanwhile , police in baiji said an explosives-packed truck drove into the police directorate 's compound in the center of town and detonated . a number of homes in the compound were destroyed . the police building was badly damaged , and 15 vehicles were destroyed . on the political front , iraqi prime minister nuri al-maliki responded to u.s. criticism of his government , calling such comments irresponsible and saying they overstep the bounds of diplomatic and political courtesy . ' president bush and the u.s. ambassador to iraq , ryan crocker , on tuesday expressed frustration with an ineffective iraqi political process dominated by constant governmental squabbling . democratic sen. carl levin of michigan , chairman of the senate armed services committee , on monday called on iraq 's parliament to turn al-maliki 's nonfunctioning ' government out of office when it returns in two weeks . he said al-maliki 's government was too beholden to religious and sectarian leaders ' to reach a political settlement that would end the country 's sectarian and insurgent violence . everyone knows that the iraqi government is one elected by the iraqi people , and no one puts timetables or restrictions other than the iraqi people who elected the government , ' al-maliki said wednesday during a visit to syria 's capital , damascus . government spokesman ali dabbagh said al-maliki was specifically referring to levin 's comments . white house spokesman gordon johndroe on wednesday said media reports had overblown differences between the bush administration and al-maliki . johndroe said al-maliki is iraq 's elected prime minister , and the iraqi government is working to achieve political reconciliation . other developments cnn 's jomana karadsheh and raja razek contributed to this report .	37 killed , 81 wounded in suicide car bombing north of baghdad
west <tsp> ( cnn ) -- syria , we are told , is not like libya . the factors that coalesced to allow for international intervention in the latter do not apply in the former . there are clear differences -- in geography , topography , the role of neighboring states , the existence of liberated territory and the posture of the u.n. security council -- that mitigate against external intervention . the problem with this narrative is that it ignores the most salient factor that should guide our thinking and the international community 's response to events in syria today . that 's the ongoing crimes against humanity visited upon the people of syria by the bashar al-assad regime and the human rights catastrophe that is unfolding before our eyes . while many governments repress their populations and respond with violence to public demands for change , what distinguishes the syrian case is that all the leading human rights organizations -- amnesty international , human rights watch and the u.n. human rights council -- have unanimously characterized the policies of the syrian regime as crimes against humanity . ' this means the mafia state the assad family has been running for 42 years belongs in the same moral category as serbia 's slobodan milosevic and rwanda 's hutu generals . speaking last week in new york , u.n. high commissioner for human rights navi pillay affirmed that the nature and scale of abuses committed by syrian forces indicate that crimes against humanity are likely to have been committed since march 2011 . independent , credible and corroborated accounts indicate that these abuses have taken place as part of a widespread and systematic attack on civilians . furthermore , the breadth and patterns of attacks by military and security forces on civilians and the widespread destruction of homes , hospitals , schools and other civilian infrastructure indicate approval or complicity of the authorities at the highest level . ' the merciless brutality of the syrian regime comes as no surprise . a comparison of the human rights records of member states of the arab league places syria at the extreme end of a spectrum of repression . arguably , only saddam hussein 's iraq was worse . while the 1982 massacre in hama is frequently mentioned to highlight the viciousness of the assad regime , less well-known are the horrors of syria 's prison system . tens of thousands have passed through its doors . untold numbers never made it out . a human rights watch report on the notorious tadmor prison describes deaths under torture ' and summary executions on a massive scale . ' one former inmate described the place as a kingdom of death and madness ' and emaciated prisoners were compared to survivors of nazi concentration camps . ' but this was just one jail in a veritable archipelago . one day the full story of syria 's prison system and internal human rights nightmare under the assad family will be told . when the truth emerges , it might rival the horrors chronicled in alexander solzhenitsyn 's gulag archipelago . ' in thinking about how to respond to events in syria today , the colossal scale of human suffering -- past and present -- should be foremost in our minds . any discussion of external intervention should be guided by what the syrian people actually want from the outside world . this requires listening to the syrian democratic opposition . the opposition is divided on the issue of foreign military intervention , a chasm that is diminishing daily as the atrocities increase . until there is a broad consensus , the following nonmilitary steps can be pursued immediately . they would be a huge boon of support for the opposition and would be endorsed by all syrian democrats : -- officially recognize the syrian national council as the legitimate representative of the syrian people . -- establish a special u.n. commission of inquiry along the lines of darfur . -- refer the senior leadership of the al-assad regime to the international criminal court . -- provide humanitarian air drops of food and medicine to besieged communities . -- keep the global spotlight on the assad regime and its atrocities . there is a historic struggle for democracy under way in syria today . it represents the aspirations of a people to free themselves from the tyranny of one the most brutal regimes the developing world has ever seen . claims that the conflict has now turned violent ignore the overarching reality that for most of the past 11 months the protests have been overwhelmingly peaceful , and notwithstanding the emergence of the free syrian army , most of the protests continue to be nonviolent today . what is truly amazing about the spread of the arab spring to syria is not that some people have taken up arms in the face of a brutal crackdown but that is it did n't happen sooner , given assad 's crimes against humanity and that violent tactics have n't been adopted by more people . the very fact that an indigenous internal struggle for democracy could emerge in one of the worst police states in the arab world and be sustained for so long is both mind-boggling and inspiring . the heroic struggle in syria today represents the best of the human spirit . it is fundamentally about the most basic political value we take for granted in the west , the right of a people to self-determination . it deserves our full support . follow cnn opinion on twitter join the conversation on facebook the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of nader hashemi .	west could take steps to show support for oppressed people of syria , he says
australian rugby league <tsp> ( cnn ) -- an australian rugby league player has been charged with dealing drugs just three months after his teammate was served a court notice for the same offence . chris houston , who plays for newcastle knights in the national rugby league competition , has been charged with supplying ecstasy and cocaine according to reports in australian newspapers on monday . the 25-year-old second-row forward will appear in court next month , and has been suspended by his club . newcastle knights player chris houston has been stood down immediately and indefinitely following reports he was charged this afternoon on drug-related allegations , ' a knights statement said on monday . houston 's teammate danny wicks was charged with six counts of supplying prohibited drugs and two counts of drug possession in december . wicks'younger brother and his sister-in-law have also been charged as part of a police investigation into drugs suppliers , along with soccer player steven stefanovski . wicks and houston both moved to newcastle from sydney club st george illawarra at the end of 2007 . wicks agreed to cancel his $ 180,000-a-year contract in december , the sydney morning herald reported , while houston is contracted to the knights until 2012 . it is the second year in a row that the sport has been hit by controversy ahead of a new season , which begins in two weeks . last year , manly and australia fullback brett stewart had to be removed from nrl advertisements following allegations of sexual assault . former newcastle and australia star andrew johns also made headlines after his retirement in 2007 when he was caught in possession of ecstasy in britain , and later admitted he had been a regular user of the drug during his career .	australian rugby league player chris houston charged with dealing drugs
stones <tsp> ( rolling stone ) -- for the first time since the rolling stones formed nearly 50 years ago , mick jagger is part of a new band : super heavy -- featuring dave stewart , joss stone , damian marley and indian film composer a.r . rahman . the band has quietly been recording together over the past 18 months , with their debut lp planned for sometime around september . it 's different from anything else i 've ever been involved in , ' jagger tells rolling stone . the music is very wide-ranging -- from reggae to ballads to indian songs in urdu . ' choose rolling stone 's cover : the sheepdogs vs. lelia broussard . vote now ! the group got its start two years ago when dave stewart called jagger from his home in jamaica . i live in lime hall right above st. ann 's bay , ' says stewart . it 's kind of the jungle , and sometimes i 'd hear three sound systems all playing different things . i always love that , along with indian orchestras . i said to mick ,'how could we make a fusion ?'we were talking about an experiment , and then we started talking about voices . it was all born from that conversation . ' jagger loved the idea , and after lots of brainstorming and phone calls around the world , they settled on stone , a.r . rahman and marley - whose rhythm section helped flesh out the band . we wanted a convergence of different musical styles , ' says jagger . we were always overlapping styles , but they were nevertheless separate . ' about 18 months ago , the band gathered in a los angeles studio . none of them had prepared any music . we did n't know what the hell we were doing , ' says stewart . we were just jamming and making a noise . it was like when a band first starts up in your garage . sometimes damien would kick it off and then joss would sing something on top of it . we might have a 22 minute jam , and it would become a six minute song . ' photos : rare and intimate pictures of the rolling stones the loose method was inspiring for jagger . one of the beauties is that , just speaking as a vocalist , i did other things , ' jagger says . i played guitar and harmonica , but there 's four vocalist on the album . not everything was reliant on me . ' the band 's name came from some improvised vocals by marley . he was just singing'heavy , heavy , heavy , heavy , super heavy ,'' says stewart . we thought that sounded good and it sort of stuck with us . ' jagger is confident that stones fans will embrace the group . it is a different kind of record that what people would expect , ' he says . it 's not all weird and strange though . i think stones fans will think it 's a bit odd , but they 'll find most of it accessible . they 've heard me play harmonica before and a lot of it is pretty high energy . ' photo gallery : the rolling stones live , 1964-2007 as of now , there are no plans to bring super heavy on the road . we 're experimenting at the moment and just taking it day by day , ' says stewart . i think if we 're rehearsing and it sounds great and people love the idea then nobody would rule out the possibility of it . ' might jagger 's other group be hitting the road at some point in the future ? in an interview with usa today , keith richards said he was optimistic . something 's blowing in the wind , ' he said . the idea 's there . we kind of know we should do it , but nobody 's put their finger on the moment yet . this is what we want to ask each other : do we want to go out in a blaze of glory ? we can , if mick and charlie feel like i do , that we can still turn people on . we do n't have to prove nothing anymore . i just love playing , and i miss the crowd . ' when asked if the stones are going to tour next year , jagger just chuckles . i do n't have any announcement to make at the moment , ' he says . i 'm just , uh , ya know ... just doing this right now . ' copyright © 2011 rolling stone .	jagger is confident that stones fans will embrace the new group
dave stewart <tsp> ( rolling stone ) -- for the first time since the rolling stones formed nearly 50 years ago , mick jagger is part of a new band : super heavy -- featuring dave stewart , joss stone , damian marley and indian film composer a.r . rahman . the band has quietly been recording together over the past 18 months , with their debut lp planned for sometime around september . it 's different from anything else i 've ever been involved in , ' jagger tells rolling stone . the music is very wide-ranging -- from reggae to ballads to indian songs in urdu . ' choose rolling stone 's cover : the sheepdogs vs. lelia broussard . vote now ! the group got its start two years ago when dave stewart called jagger from his home in jamaica . i live in lime hall right above st. ann 's bay , ' says stewart . it 's kind of the jungle , and sometimes i 'd hear three sound systems all playing different things . i always love that , along with indian orchestras . i said to mick ,'how could we make a fusion ?'we were talking about an experiment , and then we started talking about voices . it was all born from that conversation . ' jagger loved the idea , and after lots of brainstorming and phone calls around the world , they settled on stone , a.r . rahman and marley - whose rhythm section helped flesh out the band . we wanted a convergence of different musical styles , ' says jagger . we were always overlapping styles , but they were nevertheless separate . ' about 18 months ago , the band gathered in a los angeles studio . none of them had prepared any music . we did n't know what the hell we were doing , ' says stewart . we were just jamming and making a noise . it was like when a band first starts up in your garage . sometimes damien would kick it off and then joss would sing something on top of it . we might have a 22 minute jam , and it would become a six minute song . ' photos : rare and intimate pictures of the rolling stones the loose method was inspiring for jagger . one of the beauties is that , just speaking as a vocalist , i did other things , ' jagger says . i played guitar and harmonica , but there 's four vocalist on the album . not everything was reliant on me . ' the band 's name came from some improvised vocals by marley . he was just singing'heavy , heavy , heavy , heavy , super heavy ,'' says stewart . we thought that sounded good and it sort of stuck with us . ' jagger is confident that stones fans will embrace the group . it is a different kind of record that what people would expect , ' he says . it 's not all weird and strange though . i think stones fans will think it 's a bit odd , but they 'll find most of it accessible . they 've heard me play harmonica before and a lot of it is pretty high energy . ' photo gallery : the rolling stones live , 1964-2007 as of now , there are no plans to bring super heavy on the road . we 're experimenting at the moment and just taking it day by day , ' says stewart . i think if we 're rehearsing and it sounds great and people love the idea then nobody would rule out the possibility of it . ' might jagger 's other group be hitting the road at some point in the future ? in an interview with usa today , keith richards said he was optimistic . something 's blowing in the wind , ' he said . the idea 's there . we kind of know we should do it , but nobody 's put their finger on the moment yet . this is what we want to ask each other : do we want to go out in a blaze of glory ? we can , if mick and charlie feel like i do , that we can still turn people on . we do n't have to prove nothing anymore . i just love playing , and i miss the crowd . ' when asked if the stones are going to tour next year , jagger just chuckles . i do n't have any announcement to make at the moment , ' he says . i 'm just , uh , ya know ... just doing this right now . ' copyright © 2011 rolling stone .	jagger 's super heavy features dave stewart , joss stone , damian marley and a.r . rahman
dave stewart <tsp> ( rolling stone ) -- for the first time since the rolling stones formed nearly 50 years ago , mick jagger is part of a new band : super heavy -- featuring dave stewart , joss stone , damian marley and indian film composer a.r . rahman . the band has quietly been recording together over the past 18 months , with their debut lp planned for sometime around september . it 's different from anything else i 've ever been involved in , ' jagger tells rolling stone . the music is very wide-ranging -- from reggae to ballads to indian songs in urdu . ' choose rolling stone 's cover : the sheepdogs vs. lelia broussard . vote now ! the group got its start two years ago when dave stewart called jagger from his home in jamaica . i live in lime hall right above st. ann 's bay , ' says stewart . it 's kind of the jungle , and sometimes i 'd hear three sound systems all playing different things . i always love that , along with indian orchestras . i said to mick ,'how could we make a fusion ?'we were talking about an experiment , and then we started talking about voices . it was all born from that conversation . ' jagger loved the idea , and after lots of brainstorming and phone calls around the world , they settled on stone , a.r . rahman and marley - whose rhythm section helped flesh out the band . we wanted a convergence of different musical styles , ' says jagger . we were always overlapping styles , but they were nevertheless separate . ' about 18 months ago , the band gathered in a los angeles studio . none of them had prepared any music . we did n't know what the hell we were doing , ' says stewart . we were just jamming and making a noise . it was like when a band first starts up in your garage . sometimes damien would kick it off and then joss would sing something on top of it . we might have a 22 minute jam , and it would become a six minute song . ' photos : rare and intimate pictures of the rolling stones the loose method was inspiring for jagger . one of the beauties is that , just speaking as a vocalist , i did other things , ' jagger says . i played guitar and harmonica , but there 's four vocalist on the album . not everything was reliant on me . ' the band 's name came from some improvised vocals by marley . he was just singing'heavy , heavy , heavy , heavy , super heavy ,'' says stewart . we thought that sounded good and it sort of stuck with us . ' jagger is confident that stones fans will embrace the group . it is a different kind of record that what people would expect , ' he says . it 's not all weird and strange though . i think stones fans will think it 's a bit odd , but they 'll find most of it accessible . they 've heard me play harmonica before and a lot of it is pretty high energy . ' photo gallery : the rolling stones live , 1964-2007 as of now , there are no plans to bring super heavy on the road . we 're experimenting at the moment and just taking it day by day , ' says stewart . i think if we 're rehearsing and it sounds great and people love the idea then nobody would rule out the possibility of it . ' might jagger 's other group be hitting the road at some point in the future ? in an interview with usa today , keith richards said he was optimistic . something 's blowing in the wind , ' he said . the idea 's there . we kind of know we should do it , but nobody 's put their finger on the moment yet . this is what we want to ask each other : do we want to go out in a blaze of glory ? we can , if mick and charlie feel like i do , that we can still turn people on . we do n't have to prove nothing anymore . i just love playing , and i miss the crowd . ' when asked if the stones are going to tour next year , jagger just chuckles . i do n't have any announcement to make at the moment , ' he says . i 'm just , uh , ya know ... just doing this right now . ' copyright © 2011 rolling stone .	the group got its start two years ago when dave stewart called jagger from jamaica
a.r . rahman <tsp> ( rolling stone ) -- for the first time since the rolling stones formed nearly 50 years ago , mick jagger is part of a new band : super heavy -- featuring dave stewart , joss stone , damian marley and indian film composer a.r . rahman . the band has quietly been recording together over the past 18 months , with their debut lp planned for sometime around september . it 's different from anything else i 've ever been involved in , ' jagger tells rolling stone . the music is very wide-ranging -- from reggae to ballads to indian songs in urdu . ' choose rolling stone 's cover : the sheepdogs vs. lelia broussard . vote now ! the group got its start two years ago when dave stewart called jagger from his home in jamaica . i live in lime hall right above st. ann 's bay , ' says stewart . it 's kind of the jungle , and sometimes i 'd hear three sound systems all playing different things . i always love that , along with indian orchestras . i said to mick ,'how could we make a fusion ?'we were talking about an experiment , and then we started talking about voices . it was all born from that conversation . ' jagger loved the idea , and after lots of brainstorming and phone calls around the world , they settled on stone , a.r . rahman and marley - whose rhythm section helped flesh out the band . we wanted a convergence of different musical styles , ' says jagger . we were always overlapping styles , but they were nevertheless separate . ' about 18 months ago , the band gathered in a los angeles studio . none of them had prepared any music . we did n't know what the hell we were doing , ' says stewart . we were just jamming and making a noise . it was like when a band first starts up in your garage . sometimes damien would kick it off and then joss would sing something on top of it . we might have a 22 minute jam , and it would become a six minute song . ' photos : rare and intimate pictures of the rolling stones the loose method was inspiring for jagger . one of the beauties is that , just speaking as a vocalist , i did other things , ' jagger says . i played guitar and harmonica , but there 's four vocalist on the album . not everything was reliant on me . ' the band 's name came from some improvised vocals by marley . he was just singing'heavy , heavy , heavy , heavy , super heavy ,'' says stewart . we thought that sounded good and it sort of stuck with us . ' jagger is confident that stones fans will embrace the group . it is a different kind of record that what people would expect , ' he says . it 's not all weird and strange though . i think stones fans will think it 's a bit odd , but they 'll find most of it accessible . they 've heard me play harmonica before and a lot of it is pretty high energy . ' photo gallery : the rolling stones live , 1964-2007 as of now , there are no plans to bring super heavy on the road . we 're experimenting at the moment and just taking it day by day , ' says stewart . i think if we 're rehearsing and it sounds great and people love the idea then nobody would rule out the possibility of it . ' might jagger 's other group be hitting the road at some point in the future ? in an interview with usa today , keith richards said he was optimistic . something 's blowing in the wind , ' he said . the idea 's there . we kind of know we should do it , but nobody 's put their finger on the moment yet . this is what we want to ask each other : do we want to go out in a blaze of glory ? we can , if mick and charlie feel like i do , that we can still turn people on . we do n't have to prove nothing anymore . i just love playing , and i miss the crowd . ' when asked if the stones are going to tour next year , jagger just chuckles . i do n't have any announcement to make at the moment , ' he says . i 'm just , uh , ya know ... just doing this right now . ' copyright © 2011 rolling stone .	jagger 's super heavy features dave stewart , joss stone , damian marley and a.r . rahman
damian marley <tsp> ( rolling stone ) -- for the first time since the rolling stones formed nearly 50 years ago , mick jagger is part of a new band : super heavy -- featuring dave stewart , joss stone , damian marley and indian film composer a.r . rahman . the band has quietly been recording together over the past 18 months , with their debut lp planned for sometime around september . it 's different from anything else i 've ever been involved in , ' jagger tells rolling stone . the music is very wide-ranging -- from reggae to ballads to indian songs in urdu . ' choose rolling stone 's cover : the sheepdogs vs. lelia broussard . vote now ! the group got its start two years ago when dave stewart called jagger from his home in jamaica . i live in lime hall right above st. ann 's bay , ' says stewart . it 's kind of the jungle , and sometimes i 'd hear three sound systems all playing different things . i always love that , along with indian orchestras . i said to mick ,'how could we make a fusion ?'we were talking about an experiment , and then we started talking about voices . it was all born from that conversation . ' jagger loved the idea , and after lots of brainstorming and phone calls around the world , they settled on stone , a.r . rahman and marley - whose rhythm section helped flesh out the band . we wanted a convergence of different musical styles , ' says jagger . we were always overlapping styles , but they were nevertheless separate . ' about 18 months ago , the band gathered in a los angeles studio . none of them had prepared any music . we did n't know what the hell we were doing , ' says stewart . we were just jamming and making a noise . it was like when a band first starts up in your garage . sometimes damien would kick it off and then joss would sing something on top of it . we might have a 22 minute jam , and it would become a six minute song . ' photos : rare and intimate pictures of the rolling stones the loose method was inspiring for jagger . one of the beauties is that , just speaking as a vocalist , i did other things , ' jagger says . i played guitar and harmonica , but there 's four vocalist on the album . not everything was reliant on me . ' the band 's name came from some improvised vocals by marley . he was just singing'heavy , heavy , heavy , heavy , super heavy ,'' says stewart . we thought that sounded good and it sort of stuck with us . ' jagger is confident that stones fans will embrace the group . it is a different kind of record that what people would expect , ' he says . it 's not all weird and strange though . i think stones fans will think it 's a bit odd , but they 'll find most of it accessible . they 've heard me play harmonica before and a lot of it is pretty high energy . ' photo gallery : the rolling stones live , 1964-2007 as of now , there are no plans to bring super heavy on the road . we 're experimenting at the moment and just taking it day by day , ' says stewart . i think if we 're rehearsing and it sounds great and people love the idea then nobody would rule out the possibility of it . ' might jagger 's other group be hitting the road at some point in the future ? in an interview with usa today , keith richards said he was optimistic . something 's blowing in the wind , ' he said . the idea 's there . we kind of know we should do it , but nobody 's put their finger on the moment yet . this is what we want to ask each other : do we want to go out in a blaze of glory ? we can , if mick and charlie feel like i do , that we can still turn people on . we do n't have to prove nothing anymore . i just love playing , and i miss the crowd . ' when asked if the stones are going to tour next year , jagger just chuckles . i do n't have any announcement to make at the moment , ' he says . i 'm just , uh , ya know ... just doing this right now . ' copyright © 2011 rolling stone .	jagger 's super heavy features dave stewart , joss stone , damian marley and a.r . rahman
liverpool <tsp> ( cnn ) -- manchester united manager david moyes says he and his slumping team are desperate ' to turn things around -- and hopes the reversal of fortune begins in the champions league . the defending premier league champion did n't lose any ground in the title race -- although repeating was already looking unlikely -- but the red devils did slip 12 points behind a champions league spot after the most recent round of games last weekend . and united was n't just beaten on sunday . it was outclassed by arch-rival liverpool at old trafford , 3-0 . while liverpool routinely threatened thanks to the likes of in-form pair luis suarez and daniel sturridge , united 's high-profile duo of wayne rooney and robin van persie were never a problem for the reds'sometimes shaky defense . with liverpool controlling the midfield , united struggled to gain a foothold and managed just one shot on target . the players are capable of turning it around , ' moyes was quoted as saying by manchester united 's website . we 're all desperate to put things right and make sure we play better to give the supporters here something to shout about . ' the manner of the defeat piled more pressure on moyes , who is in his first season at the helm at manchester united after replacing managerial great alex ferguson . former liverpool defender alan hansen said moyes is fighting for his future ' and that if united exited the champions league against olympiacos and then lost to manchester city in the league , there will be serious doubts over whether moyes can continue . ' according to british bookmaker william hill , moyes is the joint third favorite -- behind west bromwich albion 's pepe mel and norwich 's chris hughton -- to become the next premier league manager to depart . west bromwich albion and norwich are struggling near the relegation zone although west brom won saturday at swansea . manchester united faces an uphill battle to reach the last eight of this season 's champions league after a 2-0 reverse in greece : only once has the team lost a first leg in the competition and advanced -- in 2006/2007 against roma . but olympiacos has lost all 11 of its previous encounters in england and united has won all of its home games versus greek opposition . given united 's position in the premier league , winning the champions league might be its most feasible path to appearing in next season 's competition . united last failed to compete in the champions league in 1995/1996 . we have to go for the throat to get the win , ' said moyes . we wo n't be gung-ho but we will certainly go with a mindset to overhaul the deficit as quickly as we can . we wo n't be reckless as we could find ourselves with a bigger mountain to climb but we can be forceful . we have to be if we 're to keep ourselves in the champions league . ' united midfielder juan mata , bought in the january transfer window for a club record $ 61 million , said united 's pedigree in europe -- it has amassed three titles in europe 's top club competition while olympiacos has yet to make the semifinals -- could be a factor . everything went bad ( against liverpool ) , ' mata wrote in his blog . it was a tough defeat and i want to tell you that we will give everything we have in order to forget about this in the remaining games . and there is a very important one around the corner . we know the history of this club and its achievements , based on a winning spirit . that is what we need to beat olympiacos and get through in the champions league . the storm will pass and the sun will rise again , ' the cup-tied spaniard also said . i have no doubt . besides , no one said this would be easy . '	man united 's loss to liverpool leaves the club 12 points behind a champions league spot
champions league <tsp> ( cnn ) -- manchester united manager david moyes says he and his slumping team are desperate ' to turn things around -- and hopes the reversal of fortune begins in the champions league . the defending premier league champion did n't lose any ground in the title race -- although repeating was already looking unlikely -- but the red devils did slip 12 points behind a champions league spot after the most recent round of games last weekend . and united was n't just beaten on sunday . it was outclassed by arch-rival liverpool at old trafford , 3-0 . while liverpool routinely threatened thanks to the likes of in-form pair luis suarez and daniel sturridge , united 's high-profile duo of wayne rooney and robin van persie were never a problem for the reds'sometimes shaky defense . with liverpool controlling the midfield , united struggled to gain a foothold and managed just one shot on target . the players are capable of turning it around , ' moyes was quoted as saying by manchester united 's website . we 're all desperate to put things right and make sure we play better to give the supporters here something to shout about . ' the manner of the defeat piled more pressure on moyes , who is in his first season at the helm at manchester united after replacing managerial great alex ferguson . former liverpool defender alan hansen said moyes is fighting for his future ' and that if united exited the champions league against olympiacos and then lost to manchester city in the league , there will be serious doubts over whether moyes can continue . ' according to british bookmaker william hill , moyes is the joint third favorite -- behind west bromwich albion 's pepe mel and norwich 's chris hughton -- to become the next premier league manager to depart . west bromwich albion and norwich are struggling near the relegation zone although west brom won saturday at swansea . manchester united faces an uphill battle to reach the last eight of this season 's champions league after a 2-0 reverse in greece : only once has the team lost a first leg in the competition and advanced -- in 2006/2007 against roma . but olympiacos has lost all 11 of its previous encounters in england and united has won all of its home games versus greek opposition . given united 's position in the premier league , winning the champions league might be its most feasible path to appearing in next season 's competition . united last failed to compete in the champions league in 1995/1996 . we have to go for the throat to get the win , ' said moyes . we wo n't be gung-ho but we will certainly go with a mindset to overhaul the deficit as quickly as we can . we wo n't be reckless as we could find ourselves with a bigger mountain to climb but we can be forceful . we have to be if we 're to keep ourselves in the champions league . ' united midfielder juan mata , bought in the january transfer window for a club record $ 61 million , said united 's pedigree in europe -- it has amassed three titles in europe 's top club competition while olympiacos has yet to make the semifinals -- could be a factor . everything went bad ( against liverpool ) , ' mata wrote in his blog . it was a tough defeat and i want to tell you that we will give everything we have in order to forget about this in the remaining games . and there is a very important one around the corner . we know the history of this club and its achievements , based on a winning spirit . that is what we need to beat olympiacos and get through in the champions league . the storm will pass and the sun will rise again , ' the cup-tied spaniard also said . i have no doubt . besides , no one said this would be easy . '	united has never lost a home game to greek opposition in the champions league
champions league <tsp> ( cnn ) -- manchester united manager david moyes says he and his slumping team are desperate ' to turn things around -- and hopes the reversal of fortune begins in the champions league . the defending premier league champion did n't lose any ground in the title race -- although repeating was already looking unlikely -- but the red devils did slip 12 points behind a champions league spot after the most recent round of games last weekend . and united was n't just beaten on sunday . it was outclassed by arch-rival liverpool at old trafford , 3-0 . while liverpool routinely threatened thanks to the likes of in-form pair luis suarez and daniel sturridge , united 's high-profile duo of wayne rooney and robin van persie were never a problem for the reds'sometimes shaky defense . with liverpool controlling the midfield , united struggled to gain a foothold and managed just one shot on target . the players are capable of turning it around , ' moyes was quoted as saying by manchester united 's website . we 're all desperate to put things right and make sure we play better to give the supporters here something to shout about . ' the manner of the defeat piled more pressure on moyes , who is in his first season at the helm at manchester united after replacing managerial great alex ferguson . former liverpool defender alan hansen said moyes is fighting for his future ' and that if united exited the champions league against olympiacos and then lost to manchester city in the league , there will be serious doubts over whether moyes can continue . ' according to british bookmaker william hill , moyes is the joint third favorite -- behind west bromwich albion 's pepe mel and norwich 's chris hughton -- to become the next premier league manager to depart . west bromwich albion and norwich are struggling near the relegation zone although west brom won saturday at swansea . manchester united faces an uphill battle to reach the last eight of this season 's champions league after a 2-0 reverse in greece : only once has the team lost a first leg in the competition and advanced -- in 2006/2007 against roma . but olympiacos has lost all 11 of its previous encounters in england and united has won all of its home games versus greek opposition . given united 's position in the premier league , winning the champions league might be its most feasible path to appearing in next season 's competition . united last failed to compete in the champions league in 1995/1996 . we have to go for the throat to get the win , ' said moyes . we wo n't be gung-ho but we will certainly go with a mindset to overhaul the deficit as quickly as we can . we wo n't be reckless as we could find ourselves with a bigger mountain to climb but we can be forceful . we have to be if we 're to keep ourselves in the champions league . ' united midfielder juan mata , bought in the january transfer window for a club record $ 61 million , said united 's pedigree in europe -- it has amassed three titles in europe 's top club competition while olympiacos has yet to make the semifinals -- could be a factor . everything went bad ( against liverpool ) , ' mata wrote in his blog . it was a tough defeat and i want to tell you that we will give everything we have in order to forget about this in the remaining games . and there is a very important one around the corner . we know the history of this club and its achievements , based on a winning spirit . that is what we need to beat olympiacos and get through in the champions league . the storm will pass and the sun will rise again , ' the cup-tied spaniard also said . i have no doubt . besides , no one said this would be easy . '	man united 's loss to liverpool leaves the club 12 points behind a champions league spot
greek <tsp> ( cnn ) -- manchester united manager david moyes says he and his slumping team are desperate ' to turn things around -- and hopes the reversal of fortune begins in the champions league . the defending premier league champion did n't lose any ground in the title race -- although repeating was already looking unlikely -- but the red devils did slip 12 points behind a champions league spot after the most recent round of games last weekend . and united was n't just beaten on sunday . it was outclassed by arch-rival liverpool at old trafford , 3-0 . while liverpool routinely threatened thanks to the likes of in-form pair luis suarez and daniel sturridge , united 's high-profile duo of wayne rooney and robin van persie were never a problem for the reds'sometimes shaky defense . with liverpool controlling the midfield , united struggled to gain a foothold and managed just one shot on target . the players are capable of turning it around , ' moyes was quoted as saying by manchester united 's website . we 're all desperate to put things right and make sure we play better to give the supporters here something to shout about . ' the manner of the defeat piled more pressure on moyes , who is in his first season at the helm at manchester united after replacing managerial great alex ferguson . former liverpool defender alan hansen said moyes is fighting for his future ' and that if united exited the champions league against olympiacos and then lost to manchester city in the league , there will be serious doubts over whether moyes can continue . ' according to british bookmaker william hill , moyes is the joint third favorite -- behind west bromwich albion 's pepe mel and norwich 's chris hughton -- to become the next premier league manager to depart . west bromwich albion and norwich are struggling near the relegation zone although west brom won saturday at swansea . manchester united faces an uphill battle to reach the last eight of this season 's champions league after a 2-0 reverse in greece : only once has the team lost a first leg in the competition and advanced -- in 2006/2007 against roma . but olympiacos has lost all 11 of its previous encounters in england and united has won all of its home games versus greek opposition . given united 's position in the premier league , winning the champions league might be its most feasible path to appearing in next season 's competition . united last failed to compete in the champions league in 1995/1996 . we have to go for the throat to get the win , ' said moyes . we wo n't be gung-ho but we will certainly go with a mindset to overhaul the deficit as quickly as we can . we wo n't be reckless as we could find ourselves with a bigger mountain to climb but we can be forceful . we have to be if we 're to keep ourselves in the champions league . ' united midfielder juan mata , bought in the january transfer window for a club record $ 61 million , said united 's pedigree in europe -- it has amassed three titles in europe 's top club competition while olympiacos has yet to make the semifinals -- could be a factor . everything went bad ( against liverpool ) , ' mata wrote in his blog . it was a tough defeat and i want to tell you that we will give everything we have in order to forget about this in the remaining games . and there is a very important one around the corner . we know the history of this club and its achievements , based on a winning spirit . that is what we need to beat olympiacos and get through in the champions league . the storm will pass and the sun will rise again , ' the cup-tied spaniard also said . i have no doubt . besides , no one said this would be easy . '	united has never lost a home game to greek opposition in the champions league
netflix <tsp> ( cnn ) -- when christopher moore is n't jumping rope , shooting baskets or playing the board game chutes and ladders , the 8-year-old can often be found at home using his ninja fighting skills , protecting the world from would-be enemies . roger walland and daughters rachel , 5 , and jennifer , 2 , of plano , texas , play with nintendo 's popular wii system . i 'm trying to save the other people from being hurt , ' he said of his avatar video game adventures . and i be beating him bad , ' he added with a coy smile and a nod toward his 15-year-old brother . the moore household , in birmingham , alabama , enjoys a good blend of at-home entertainment , something the foursome is doing more and more during these precarious financial times , explains the boys'mother , lisa moore . they grill , play outdoors or whip out traditional games that may be decades old , and although she does n't plop down at the video console with them , the boys and her husband often duke it out virtually . they 're always in competition , ' she said with a laugh . it keeps them busy . it keeps them occupied . ' ireport.com : show us how you 're entertaining yourself on the cheap numbers show that at-home entertainment is doing better than ever , flying in the financial face of so many industries that are struggling in this recession . netflix , a dvd rental service , has had a record quarter and now boasts 10 million subscribers . with no late fees , a selection of 100,000 titles ( outdoing typical video stores by about 97,000 ) , free postage , nine price plans and now the ability to stream 12,000 movies , netflix 's offerings are resonating loudly with concerned consumers , spokesman steve swasey says . watch report on booming video game sales » ' netflix has always provided unprecedented convenience and value ... [ and ] has been a growth company for the past 10 years , ' swasey explained . there 's something for everybody . ... right now we think [ the surge in success ] is because the value argument is stronger . people are n't buying dvds , and they 're not going out as much . ' bang for the buck and affordable escapism ' is what people want , agrees scott steinberg , publisher of digitaltrends.com . that shows , too , in the gaming industry , which has become a $ 22 billion business , the entertainment software association reported this year . a movie , concert or sporting event gives several hours of entertainment . but a video game , even if it seems pricey at $ 60 , can offer 40 hours of fun , steinberg says , and can amount to a much sounder investment . ' and many games can be downloaded cheaply or for free online , from the comfort of one 's home . it 's all about instant gratification , ' he said , adding that itunes and streaming video services are two other examples of booming businesses . you can sit there in your boxers with cheetos on your chest and have a grand old time . ' the gaming experience , too , has changed with the years . five years ago , online gaming was considered a solitary activity , says david williams , who heads up the nickelodeon kids and family games group . and although games can still be played alone , the social component is burgeoning . over a third of families will play games together online , ' williams said . they 're staying home more , and they 're using games to connect with one another . ' addicting games , a nickelodeon free online brand that caters to teens and tweens , counted 40 million visits from 11 million individuals last month alone , williams says . another nickelodeon brand , shockwave , has also grown . the free offerings have boomed , but he said the subscription business , too , has continued to grow more than 20 percent year after year . ' when it comes to the games children and adolescents play , many parents such as lisa moore may choose to sit it out . but christina vercelletto , a senior editor at parenting magazine , says that engaging in the games with them can do a family good . it can be an opportunity to bond with your kids , ' she said . if parents express interest , kids will probably be thrilled . and you 'll get a little window into what has them so excited . ' plus , by playing the games , parents can determine how comfortable they are with what their kids are doing . for those who want to get the opinions of others , she points out that the entertainment software rating board provides feedback and that parents are always learning from one another on , for instance , discussion boards . beyond traditional entertainment , people watching their wallets can watch out for themselves while staying home . take , for instance , the practice of yoga . rodney yee , a nationally recognized instructor , says video and dvd sales are up . also thriving is the gaiam yoga club , his and his wife 's first of its kind online 12-week yoga practice , which costs $ 5 a week . i really believe that this is an opportunity for all of us to re-evaluate the way we live in the world , ' yee said . even though they seem like hard times , they 're reflective times . we can look at our lives and question what we value by what we 're doing . '	netflix subscribers break 10 million ; gaming industry grows to $ 22 billion business
iraqis <tsp> kirkuk , iraq ( cnn ) -- three u.s. soldiers detailed the shooting death of their platoon leader for an iraqi judge sunday in an effort to preserve a case that will be tried months after u.s. troops have left the country . it is one of a number of cases in recent months where a u.s. military attorney and an iraqi prosecutor have worked together to bring charges against those accused of targeting american troops , though it is one of the first murder cases to be brought before a judge just weeks ahead of the u.s. pullout from iraq . today , we came to court to preserve the testimony of soldiers in a pending criminal case that will be tried in an iraqi court , and we bring the testimony today because the american forces are going to be gone soon , ' army maj. franklin d. rosenblatt , an attorney working on the case , told cnn . the u.s. military took the step of having american soldiers provide testimony because we are no longer going to be able to show up here in the court , ' rosenblatt said . the november 3 shooting of 1st lt. dustin d. vincent -- one of the last u.s. casualties in the more-than-eight-year iraq war -- was chronicled by insurgents who captured the sniper shooting on video and posted it online . inside a crowded courthouse , one of the soldiers who was with the 25-year-old vincent the day he was killed told the investigative judge that a few days later a video was posted that claimed the killing of the 1st lieutenant , and it shows the same location we were that day . ' the video , which was played for the judge , was set to music and showed what appeared to be a soldier on the top of an armored vehicle , at a distance from the camera . on his back , which was to the camera , was a superimposed sniper 's crosshair cursor . then there is the sound of a gunshot , and the soldier drops from view . his comrades testified that vincent , of mesquite , texas , was killed when his convoy stopped in kirkuk 's volatile al-wasiti district , a mixed sunni-turkomen neighborhood in the northern iraqi city . the convoy stopped to fix an electrical cable on the top of one of vincent 's armored vehicles -- then we heard a shot , ' one of the soldiers told the judge . two of the soldiers testified they got out of their armored vehicle to aid vincent , who was shot in the upper right portion of his chest . he was wearing a vest , but it hit the upper side of the vest , ' the same soldier said . later , the soldiers said , they were told iraqi police apprehended a suspect . the american soldiers who testified are still carrying out missions in iraq and are not being identified at the request of the u.s. military . rosenblatt asked to submit the case to the court on behalf of the u.s. army . the iraqi prosecutor , who also asked not to be identified as a security precaution , said the case against the suspected sniper could take up to seven months before it is decided by the court . in addition to the testimony of the soldiers and the video , the prosecutor told cnn other evidence was presented to the judge . we told the judge that we have witnesses and a secret witness , and we will try to bring him to court as soon as possible , ' the prosecutor said . it was not clear who the additional witnesses were , and the prosecutor did not identify them out of a concern for their safety . the u.s. military has successfully pressed for the prosecution of four people who have been convicted in recent months of targeting u.s. personnel at contingency operating site , the american base on the outskirts of kirkuk , with rockets or roadside bombs . i think in kirkuk , it 's a big step that at least they allow us to come here to the courthouse , and here we have seen some real results lately , ' rosenblatt said . they have been willing to take on the cases of the terrorists who have attacked the u.s. troops , and i think that is a real good sign . ' vincent is the second american soldier to be killed in kirkuk in a little more than a month . a rocket attack in late september killed spc . adrian mills , 23 , of newnan , georgia , and wounded at least four others . while violence has fallen off across much of iraq , bombings and shootings are a near-daily occurrence in the disputed city , which is home to nearly a third of the country 's oil reserves . kirkuk is populated by ethnic kurds , arabs and turkomen . tensions among the groups run high in the city , to which the iraqi government in baghdad and the semi-autonomous kurdish region have both laid claim .	a military lawyer praises iraqis for bringing cases to court
zenit st petersburg <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a late equalizer from jo ensured manchester city got the draw they needed at italian giants juventus to top their europa league group , but holders atletico madrid are out . the english premier league side , deprived of argentina striker carlos tevez who handed in a transfer request last week , fell behind on 43 minutes when niccolo giannetti tapped home alessandro del piero 's cross . but england winger adam johnson found jo with a defence-splitting pass in the 77th minute and the brazilian made no mistake from inside the penalty area . it meant juventus , who were already out of the competition , drew all six of their matches . after the game city manager roberto mancini told reporters : mancini said : i am very happy , because we wanted this , and it was very important to finish top of the group . we have a chance to go all the way , but it is important to have a good draw for the next round , and after that we will see . ' city 's point sees them finish top of group a , ahead of lech poznan on goal difference . the polish side won 1-0 against salzburg , of austria , thanks to semir stilic 's goal . atletico madrid , who won last year 's europa league , were knocked out after a 1-1 draw in germany with bayer leverkusen . patrick helmes put the hosts in front before fran merida leveled shortly after . the spanish club had to better aris salonika 's result against rosenborg to go through but failed on both counts after aris triumphed 2-0 and clinched second place . lille took second place in group c from belgian side gent with a 3-0 victory in france . ludovic obraniak , pierre-alain frau and moussa sow all found the net . levski sofia , from bulgaria , claimed their second victory in the competition with a 1-0 win over sporting lisbon . the portuguese club had already qualified as group winners . in group g , russian outfit zenit st petersburg maintained their perfect record with a 3-0 win over aek athens of greece . alexander bukharov , alessandro rosina and igor denisov were all on target . belgian club anderlecht compounded aek 's misery by securing qualification in second place after a 2-0 victory over hadjuk split of croatia . they went through by virtue of a better goal difference . matters had already been decided in group h and german side vfb stuttgart maintained their impressive form with a 5-1 thumping of odense , from denmark . russian striker pavel pogrebniak was on target as they finished top . switzerland 's young boys were beaten 1-0 in spain by getafe thanks to adrian corpa 's goal but finished two points clear in second place . in group i , sampdoria 's miserable run continued as the italian side went down 2-0 to debrecen of hungary . peter kabat grabbed both goals . dutch side psv eindhoven finished top of the group after a 0-0 draw with metalist kharkiv . the ukrainian club go through in second place .	zenit st petersburg make it six wins out of six with a 3-0 victory over aek athens
argentina <tsp> port stanley , falkland islands ( cnn ) -- amid escalating tensions over the falkland islands , argentinian president cristina fernandez de kirchner accused great britain of militarizing the south atlantic and said tuesday her country would file a protest at the united nations . i have instructed our chancellor to formally present before the u.n. security council and the u.n. general assembly this militarization of the south atlantic , which implies a great risk for international safety , ' she said during a speech in buenos aires . we 're going to file a protest , ' fernandez added . speculation in recent days had been that she would cut the falklands air link to the south american mainland by banning the airline lan chile from using argentinian airspace to fly to the islands from chile . the saturday flights are the only scheduled air service to the falklands and carry fresh food as well as passengers . the president made no such announcement in her speech tuesday . argentina already bans falklands ships from its ports , an action joined by other south american and caribbean nations . i guess we were all kind of relieved that there was n't anything particularly concrete . it seems to be another burst of hot air really -- and to that degree -- we 're relieved , ' said john fowler , a journalist and falkland islands resident . britain and argentina fought a war over the falkland islands , which argentina calls las malvinas , in 1982 . though britain won the war , expelling an argentinian military force , argentina still claims the territory , which has been under british rule since 1833 , as its own . britain maintains that the 2,500 residents of the falklands have the right to determine their allegiance , and so far that has been staunchly british . we support the falklands'right to self-determination , and what the argentinians have been saying recently i would argue is actually far more like colonialism , because these people want to remain british , and the argentinians want them to do something else , ' british prime minister david cameron told u.k. lawmakers last month . addressing cameron directly in her speech , fernandez said : i simply want to ask the prime minister of england to give peace a chance . ' tensions between london and buenos aires were raised even higher this month when britain sent prince william to the falklands as a military helicopter pilot . the prince 's deployment comes as britain is making other moves to support its 1,700 personnel at the mount pleasant military complex in the falklands . the royal navy is sending its top-of-the-line warship , the destroyer hms dauntless , to the south atlantic in the spring on what the british defence ministry calls a routine deployment , according to british media reports . additionally , a british nuclear submarine is headed to the falklands , according to those reports . we are having what in game theory is called tit-for-tat ... i do n't see an end in sight right now , but i 'm sure that war is not the end , ' federico merke , a professor of international relations at san andres university , said after the president 's speech . so why , besides supporting the falklands'inhabitants , does britain want to hang on to the islands ? the answer may lie in the lucrative fishing grounds around the islands as well as a growing oil drilling industry . argentina , of course , has economic interests as well , but analysts say the current standoff has much to do with internal politics . the government is being squeezed from lots of different areas , so one way to distract from the economic problems facing the country is to raise the malvinas issue , ' mark jones , an expert in latin american politics at rice university in texas , told cnn . it 's one of the few issues outside football that you can get universal consensus on . ' cnn 's dan rivers and brad lendon contributed to this report .	argentina still claims the territory , which it calls las malvinas
argentina <tsp> port stanley , falkland islands ( cnn ) -- amid escalating tensions over the falkland islands , argentinian president cristina fernandez de kirchner accused great britain of militarizing the south atlantic and said tuesday her country would file a protest at the united nations . i have instructed our chancellor to formally present before the u.n. security council and the u.n. general assembly this militarization of the south atlantic , which implies a great risk for international safety , ' she said during a speech in buenos aires . we 're going to file a protest , ' fernandez added . speculation in recent days had been that she would cut the falklands air link to the south american mainland by banning the airline lan chile from using argentinian airspace to fly to the islands from chile . the saturday flights are the only scheduled air service to the falklands and carry fresh food as well as passengers . the president made no such announcement in her speech tuesday . argentina already bans falklands ships from its ports , an action joined by other south american and caribbean nations . i guess we were all kind of relieved that there was n't anything particularly concrete . it seems to be another burst of hot air really -- and to that degree -- we 're relieved , ' said john fowler , a journalist and falkland islands resident . britain and argentina fought a war over the falkland islands , which argentina calls las malvinas , in 1982 . though britain won the war , expelling an argentinian military force , argentina still claims the territory , which has been under british rule since 1833 , as its own . britain maintains that the 2,500 residents of the falklands have the right to determine their allegiance , and so far that has been staunchly british . we support the falklands'right to self-determination , and what the argentinians have been saying recently i would argue is actually far more like colonialism , because these people want to remain british , and the argentinians want them to do something else , ' british prime minister david cameron told u.k. lawmakers last month . addressing cameron directly in her speech , fernandez said : i simply want to ask the prime minister of england to give peace a chance . ' tensions between london and buenos aires were raised even higher this month when britain sent prince william to the falklands as a military helicopter pilot . the prince 's deployment comes as britain is making other moves to support its 1,700 personnel at the mount pleasant military complex in the falklands . the royal navy is sending its top-of-the-line warship , the destroyer hms dauntless , to the south atlantic in the spring on what the british defence ministry calls a routine deployment , according to british media reports . additionally , a british nuclear submarine is headed to the falklands , according to those reports . we are having what in game theory is called tit-for-tat ... i do n't see an end in sight right now , but i 'm sure that war is not the end , ' federico merke , a professor of international relations at san andres university , said after the president 's speech . so why , besides supporting the falklands'inhabitants , does britain want to hang on to the islands ? the answer may lie in the lucrative fishing grounds around the islands as well as a growing oil drilling industry . argentina , of course , has economic interests as well , but analysts say the current standoff has much to do with internal politics . the government is being squeezed from lots of different areas , so one way to distract from the economic problems facing the country is to raise the malvinas issue , ' mark jones , an expert in latin american politics at rice university in texas , told cnn . it 's one of the few issues outside football that you can get universal consensus on . ' cnn 's dan rivers and brad lendon contributed to this report .	argentina will file a protest at the united nations , she says
grammy <tsp> atlanta , georgia ( cnn ) -- a sealed envelope awaits in rissi palmer 's bible . country singer rissi palmer performs for students in an after-school program at atlanta 's parkside elementary . it 's her grammy acceptance speech , the one she wrote as a 12-year-old . she vowed not to open it until she could read it from the stage accepting her award . sixteen years later , the time may be nearer when palmer can open the envelope . the road has been a long one , starting with her standing on a milk crate as a child so she could sing solos in the church choir . but these days , she is an up-and-comer in country music -- and a rare african-american performer in the genre . palmer acknowledged this week to students in atlanta that some people had told her she could n't sing country because she was african-american . but she said , when you tell me i ca n't do something , it just makes me want to do it more . ' palmer told cnn that no one in the music industry had discouraged her based on race but that people who loved her were concerned country stardom might be a tough goal . she said she does n't believe her story is different from any other musician 's : the music industry is just hard . ' palmer told students at parkside elementary school that she grew up listening to all kinds of music , including country . my mother was a big country music fan , ' she recalled . the family also listened to r & b and classic soul , such as sam cooke , she said . i loved the way the country artists wrote songs , ' palmer told about 50 students , most of them minorities , in an after-school program at parkside . she liked the way that country songs told stories : i always liked telling stories . ' country girl , ' the first single off palmer 's self-titled 2007 debut album , made her the first african-american female in 20 years to hit billboard 's country chart , according to country music television . country music is home to a smattering of well-known african-american artists . charley pride is by far the most visible , but other artists have dabbled in country as well -- the supremes , for instance , and ray charles . more recently , darius rucker , longtime lead singer for hootie and the blowfish , hit the top of the country charts as well . african-americans always have been in the country music industry , said john rumble , senior historian for the country music hall of fame and museum in nashville , tennessee . however , it 's rare for an artist -- of any race -- to reach the level of stardom attained by pride , who had 67 records on the country chart between 1966 and 1990 , more than 20 of them in the top 10 . some people at the time , and since , called him the jackie robinson of country music , but nobody who followed him has yet reached that level , ' rumble said . ... he 's almost an impossible standard to match . ' however , given rucker 's recent success , he is showing superstar potential ' in the country industry , rumble added . palmer lost her mother at an early age but has said her parent 's love for country music stayed with her . still , she said she doubted she could break into the genre . when you 're a child , you react to something that 's familiar and looks like you , ' she told cmt in 2007 . and there was nobody [ in country music ] who looked like me . just being a kid , you do n't see black country singers . so you do n't think that 's a possibility for you . you see black pop singers . you see black r & b singers . you see black rockers . so you say ,'if i 'm black and i want to sing , then i probably have to sing r & b .' rumble echoed palmer 's comments about the music industry being tough on new artists . more than ever , it takes a lot of money to put an artist out there on promotional tours , ' creating videos and the like , he said . rumble said many african-american artists probably gravitate to other genres . and , for artists of any race , once you 're in the door ... it 's still a matter of catching on . ' there are a certain number of people who are just not used to seeing a black person on cmt or gac [ great american country ] , ' he said . it just does n't compute , for whatever reason . ' palmer 's family moved to st. louis , missouri , when she was 13 , according to her web site . she took part in talent pageants there and joined an entertainment troupe . that is where a lot of my country influences started to come out , ' she said in the online biography . at the audition we were instructed to pick an artist that we admired and perform some of their songs . i chose leann rimes and shania twain . i was not the one they expected to walk out and sing'any man of mine'at those state fair shows , but they always liked it . ' she participated on the cbs show star search , ' reaching the finals , and credits judge naomi judd 's manager with introducing her to the creators of waiting in the wings , ' a cmt documentary about african-americans in country music , according to her web site . she was also featured on cmt 's most wanted live . ' her music reached terry johnson , president and ceo of 1720 entertainment , who offered her a record deal . you guys are at an age where all the possibilities are open to you , ' she told the atlanta students this week . anything you want to do , you can do it . ' however , she cautioned them that being a singer is not always fun , even though she loves it . the best advice i can give you is that this is a job that i do , ' she said . ... you have to take it very seriously . ' she fielded questions with a sense of humor , telling them some of her favorite songs ( one is bonnie raitt 's nick of time ' ) and her favorite instrument -- a guitar ( have you ever tried to push a piano around with you ? ' she asked ) . she told the children that once they start dating , they will find plenty of material -- good and bad -- to write songs about . she said afterward she enjoyed talking with children and likely would have been a teacher if she had not pursued a music career . palmer appeared as part of the arts in schools program at the atlanta-based threshing floor academy of arts and sciences inc . the organization was founded in 2008 by meisha card , a former special education teacher . for her part , palmer has said she hopes that one day , the discussion centers on her music rather than her ethnicity . i 'm looking forward to the day when the only thing that 's being discussed is the album -- the actual music -- as opposed to my race , ' she told cmt . i understand it is something rare , and it is something different , and it is something that 's not happening every day . i get that . but if my career 's as successful as i hope it will be , we 're going to reach a lot more firsts . '	singer rissi palmer has had a grammy acceptance speech ready since she was 12
palmer <tsp> atlanta , georgia ( cnn ) -- a sealed envelope awaits in rissi palmer 's bible . country singer rissi palmer performs for students in an after-school program at atlanta 's parkside elementary . it 's her grammy acceptance speech , the one she wrote as a 12-year-old . she vowed not to open it until she could read it from the stage accepting her award . sixteen years later , the time may be nearer when palmer can open the envelope . the road has been a long one , starting with her standing on a milk crate as a child so she could sing solos in the church choir . but these days , she is an up-and-comer in country music -- and a rare african-american performer in the genre . palmer acknowledged this week to students in atlanta that some people had told her she could n't sing country because she was african-american . but she said , when you tell me i ca n't do something , it just makes me want to do it more . ' palmer told cnn that no one in the music industry had discouraged her based on race but that people who loved her were concerned country stardom might be a tough goal . she said she does n't believe her story is different from any other musician 's : the music industry is just hard . ' palmer told students at parkside elementary school that she grew up listening to all kinds of music , including country . my mother was a big country music fan , ' she recalled . the family also listened to r & b and classic soul , such as sam cooke , she said . i loved the way the country artists wrote songs , ' palmer told about 50 students , most of them minorities , in an after-school program at parkside . she liked the way that country songs told stories : i always liked telling stories . ' country girl , ' the first single off palmer 's self-titled 2007 debut album , made her the first african-american female in 20 years to hit billboard 's country chart , according to country music television . country music is home to a smattering of well-known african-american artists . charley pride is by far the most visible , but other artists have dabbled in country as well -- the supremes , for instance , and ray charles . more recently , darius rucker , longtime lead singer for hootie and the blowfish , hit the top of the country charts as well . african-americans always have been in the country music industry , said john rumble , senior historian for the country music hall of fame and museum in nashville , tennessee . however , it 's rare for an artist -- of any race -- to reach the level of stardom attained by pride , who had 67 records on the country chart between 1966 and 1990 , more than 20 of them in the top 10 . some people at the time , and since , called him the jackie robinson of country music , but nobody who followed him has yet reached that level , ' rumble said . ... he 's almost an impossible standard to match . ' however , given rucker 's recent success , he is showing superstar potential ' in the country industry , rumble added . palmer lost her mother at an early age but has said her parent 's love for country music stayed with her . still , she said she doubted she could break into the genre . when you 're a child , you react to something that 's familiar and looks like you , ' she told cmt in 2007 . and there was nobody [ in country music ] who looked like me . just being a kid , you do n't see black country singers . so you do n't think that 's a possibility for you . you see black pop singers . you see black r & b singers . you see black rockers . so you say ,'if i 'm black and i want to sing , then i probably have to sing r & b .' rumble echoed palmer 's comments about the music industry being tough on new artists . more than ever , it takes a lot of money to put an artist out there on promotional tours , ' creating videos and the like , he said . rumble said many african-american artists probably gravitate to other genres . and , for artists of any race , once you 're in the door ... it 's still a matter of catching on . ' there are a certain number of people who are just not used to seeing a black person on cmt or gac [ great american country ] , ' he said . it just does n't compute , for whatever reason . ' palmer 's family moved to st. louis , missouri , when she was 13 , according to her web site . she took part in talent pageants there and joined an entertainment troupe . that is where a lot of my country influences started to come out , ' she said in the online biography . at the audition we were instructed to pick an artist that we admired and perform some of their songs . i chose leann rimes and shania twain . i was not the one they expected to walk out and sing'any man of mine'at those state fair shows , but they always liked it . ' she participated on the cbs show star search , ' reaching the finals , and credits judge naomi judd 's manager with introducing her to the creators of waiting in the wings , ' a cmt documentary about african-americans in country music , according to her web site . she was also featured on cmt 's most wanted live . ' her music reached terry johnson , president and ceo of 1720 entertainment , who offered her a record deal . you guys are at an age where all the possibilities are open to you , ' she told the atlanta students this week . anything you want to do , you can do it . ' however , she cautioned them that being a singer is not always fun , even though she loves it . the best advice i can give you is that this is a job that i do , ' she said . ... you have to take it very seriously . ' she fielded questions with a sense of humor , telling them some of her favorite songs ( one is bonnie raitt 's nick of time ' ) and her favorite instrument -- a guitar ( have you ever tried to push a piano around with you ? ' she asked ) . she told the children that once they start dating , they will find plenty of material -- good and bad -- to write songs about . she said afterward she enjoyed talking with children and likely would have been a teacher if she had not pursued a music career . palmer appeared as part of the arts in schools program at the atlanta-based threshing floor academy of arts and sciences inc . the organization was founded in 2008 by meisha card , a former special education teacher . for her part , palmer has said she hopes that one day , the discussion centers on her music rather than her ethnicity . i 'm looking forward to the day when the only thing that 's being discussed is the album -- the actual music -- as opposed to my race , ' she told cmt . i understand it is something rare , and it is something different , and it is something that 's not happening every day . i get that . but if my career 's as successful as i hope it will be , we 're going to reach a lot more firsts . '	palmer says her mother always loved country music and she likes telling stories
palmer <tsp> atlanta , georgia ( cnn ) -- a sealed envelope awaits in rissi palmer 's bible . country singer rissi palmer performs for students in an after-school program at atlanta 's parkside elementary . it 's her grammy acceptance speech , the one she wrote as a 12-year-old . she vowed not to open it until she could read it from the stage accepting her award . sixteen years later , the time may be nearer when palmer can open the envelope . the road has been a long one , starting with her standing on a milk crate as a child so she could sing solos in the church choir . but these days , she is an up-and-comer in country music -- and a rare african-american performer in the genre . palmer acknowledged this week to students in atlanta that some people had told her she could n't sing country because she was african-american . but she said , when you tell me i ca n't do something , it just makes me want to do it more . ' palmer told cnn that no one in the music industry had discouraged her based on race but that people who loved her were concerned country stardom might be a tough goal . she said she does n't believe her story is different from any other musician 's : the music industry is just hard . ' palmer told students at parkside elementary school that she grew up listening to all kinds of music , including country . my mother was a big country music fan , ' she recalled . the family also listened to r & b and classic soul , such as sam cooke , she said . i loved the way the country artists wrote songs , ' palmer told about 50 students , most of them minorities , in an after-school program at parkside . she liked the way that country songs told stories : i always liked telling stories . ' country girl , ' the first single off palmer 's self-titled 2007 debut album , made her the first african-american female in 20 years to hit billboard 's country chart , according to country music television . country music is home to a smattering of well-known african-american artists . charley pride is by far the most visible , but other artists have dabbled in country as well -- the supremes , for instance , and ray charles . more recently , darius rucker , longtime lead singer for hootie and the blowfish , hit the top of the country charts as well . african-americans always have been in the country music industry , said john rumble , senior historian for the country music hall of fame and museum in nashville , tennessee . however , it 's rare for an artist -- of any race -- to reach the level of stardom attained by pride , who had 67 records on the country chart between 1966 and 1990 , more than 20 of them in the top 10 . some people at the time , and since , called him the jackie robinson of country music , but nobody who followed him has yet reached that level , ' rumble said . ... he 's almost an impossible standard to match . ' however , given rucker 's recent success , he is showing superstar potential ' in the country industry , rumble added . palmer lost her mother at an early age but has said her parent 's love for country music stayed with her . still , she said she doubted she could break into the genre . when you 're a child , you react to something that 's familiar and looks like you , ' she told cmt in 2007 . and there was nobody [ in country music ] who looked like me . just being a kid , you do n't see black country singers . so you do n't think that 's a possibility for you . you see black pop singers . you see black r & b singers . you see black rockers . so you say ,'if i 'm black and i want to sing , then i probably have to sing r & b .' rumble echoed palmer 's comments about the music industry being tough on new artists . more than ever , it takes a lot of money to put an artist out there on promotional tours , ' creating videos and the like , he said . rumble said many african-american artists probably gravitate to other genres . and , for artists of any race , once you 're in the door ... it 's still a matter of catching on . ' there are a certain number of people who are just not used to seeing a black person on cmt or gac [ great american country ] , ' he said . it just does n't compute , for whatever reason . ' palmer 's family moved to st. louis , missouri , when she was 13 , according to her web site . she took part in talent pageants there and joined an entertainment troupe . that is where a lot of my country influences started to come out , ' she said in the online biography . at the audition we were instructed to pick an artist that we admired and perform some of their songs . i chose leann rimes and shania twain . i was not the one they expected to walk out and sing'any man of mine'at those state fair shows , but they always liked it . ' she participated on the cbs show star search , ' reaching the finals , and credits judge naomi judd 's manager with introducing her to the creators of waiting in the wings , ' a cmt documentary about african-americans in country music , according to her web site . she was also featured on cmt 's most wanted live . ' her music reached terry johnson , president and ceo of 1720 entertainment , who offered her a record deal . you guys are at an age where all the possibilities are open to you , ' she told the atlanta students this week . anything you want to do , you can do it . ' however , she cautioned them that being a singer is not always fun , even though she loves it . the best advice i can give you is that this is a job that i do , ' she said . ... you have to take it very seriously . ' she fielded questions with a sense of humor , telling them some of her favorite songs ( one is bonnie raitt 's nick of time ' ) and her favorite instrument -- a guitar ( have you ever tried to push a piano around with you ? ' she asked ) . she told the children that once they start dating , they will find plenty of material -- good and bad -- to write songs about . she said afterward she enjoyed talking with children and likely would have been a teacher if she had not pursued a music career . palmer appeared as part of the arts in schools program at the atlanta-based threshing floor academy of arts and sciences inc . the organization was founded in 2008 by meisha card , a former special education teacher . for her part , palmer has said she hopes that one day , the discussion centers on her music rather than her ethnicity . i 'm looking forward to the day when the only thing that 's being discussed is the album -- the actual music -- as opposed to my race , ' she told cmt . i understand it is something rare , and it is something different , and it is something that 's not happening every day . i get that . but if my career 's as successful as i hope it will be , we 're going to reach a lot more firsts . '	singer rissi palmer has had a grammy acceptance speech ready since she was 12
putin <tsp> president vladimir putin 's news conferences are n't at all like news conferences i used to attend in washington , when i covered the white house . first , there are the stuffed animals . since there are more than 1,200 journalists in the giant hall , they have to attract president putin 's attention some way , so some bring stuffed animals , raise home-made signs , or wear t-shirts specially printed up to advertise the region or news organization they come from . then there 's the length of the conference . this one was the usual length -- three and a half hours . others have been longer . this was vladimir putin 's 10th news conference and it could n't have happened at a worse time . as the russians say , the smell of kerosene was in the air . the value of the russian currency , the ruble , was dropping like a stone , the u.s. and europe were just announcing yet more sanctions , russia was on the verse of a recession , but the president refused to call it a crisis . ' striding into the hall , putin appeared cool , calm and collected . close-ups of the president 's face were broadcast on two giant screens on either side of the hall , his every glance , every gesture visible . putin 's first challenge was to assure his fellow citizens that russia can overcome what he called an unfavorable scenario ' and he promised that would happen -- in two years , maybe less . there was no real mea culpa for russia 's economic predicament . putin admitted only that the russian central bank and the government could have reacted more quickly to the economic challenges . instead , he blamed russia 's economic woes on external ' factors , asserting that economic sanctions account for just 25 to 30 % ' of russia 's economic problems . when a bbc reporter asked him about a new ' cold war , putin leaned forward like an athlete , insisting that that russia is simply defending its own interests . moscow , he said , has only two military bases outside its territory but the u.s. has bases all over the world . ' they told us there would be no nato expansion , he complained , and now the west is building new virtual walls around russia . putin is adept at turning the tables . one journalist asked him about reprisals by chechen authorities against the families of alleged terrorists , accusing russia 's government-financed tv channels of igniting hatred in society . putin quickly pointed to the torture report just released by the white house . the u.s. he said , legalized torture ' and even developed a method for carrying it out . how do you explain that ? ' he asked indignantly . putin spoke for several minutes on the image of the russian bear . ' the west , he claimed , wo n't leave the bear in peace , but wants to chain ' it , de-claw it , ' unless it sits obediently in the forest , eating berries . if there was one promising note , it was the russian president 's statement that the conflict in eastern ukraine should be settled peacefully . he acknowledged that there were russians in eastern ukraine , but they were volunteers . ' surprisingly , the president called on some journalists who are not known as being friendly to the kremlin and there were some uncomfortable questions . when putin said there 's a fine line ' between the opposition and a fifth column ' -- in other words , traitors to russia -- reporters twice followed up with pointed questions , including a demand that he name those members of the fifth column . ' he did not . others asked him what is the salary of igor sechin , head of the russian oil giant rosneft ? he said he did n't know . in one of the most dramatic questions , a russian reporter asked putin if he is worried that members of his inner circle could carry out a palace coup ? ' putin , who in spite of his somewhat fierce image abroad , does have a sense of humor , defused the question with a smile . we ca n't have a palace coup because we have no palaces , ' he said . stability is based on support of the russian people , he said , and the people believe we are acting in their interest . '	putin : we ca n't have a palace coup because we have no palaces '
putin <tsp> president vladimir putin 's news conferences are n't at all like news conferences i used to attend in washington , when i covered the white house . first , there are the stuffed animals . since there are more than 1,200 journalists in the giant hall , they have to attract president putin 's attention some way , so some bring stuffed animals , raise home-made signs , or wear t-shirts specially printed up to advertise the region or news organization they come from . then there 's the length of the conference . this one was the usual length -- three and a half hours . others have been longer . this was vladimir putin 's 10th news conference and it could n't have happened at a worse time . as the russians say , the smell of kerosene was in the air . the value of the russian currency , the ruble , was dropping like a stone , the u.s. and europe were just announcing yet more sanctions , russia was on the verse of a recession , but the president refused to call it a crisis . ' striding into the hall , putin appeared cool , calm and collected . close-ups of the president 's face were broadcast on two giant screens on either side of the hall , his every glance , every gesture visible . putin 's first challenge was to assure his fellow citizens that russia can overcome what he called an unfavorable scenario ' and he promised that would happen -- in two years , maybe less . there was no real mea culpa for russia 's economic predicament . putin admitted only that the russian central bank and the government could have reacted more quickly to the economic challenges . instead , he blamed russia 's economic woes on external ' factors , asserting that economic sanctions account for just 25 to 30 % ' of russia 's economic problems . when a bbc reporter asked him about a new ' cold war , putin leaned forward like an athlete , insisting that that russia is simply defending its own interests . moscow , he said , has only two military bases outside its territory but the u.s. has bases all over the world . ' they told us there would be no nato expansion , he complained , and now the west is building new virtual walls around russia . putin is adept at turning the tables . one journalist asked him about reprisals by chechen authorities against the families of alleged terrorists , accusing russia 's government-financed tv channels of igniting hatred in society . putin quickly pointed to the torture report just released by the white house . the u.s. he said , legalized torture ' and even developed a method for carrying it out . how do you explain that ? ' he asked indignantly . putin spoke for several minutes on the image of the russian bear . ' the west , he claimed , wo n't leave the bear in peace , but wants to chain ' it , de-claw it , ' unless it sits obediently in the forest , eating berries . if there was one promising note , it was the russian president 's statement that the conflict in eastern ukraine should be settled peacefully . he acknowledged that there were russians in eastern ukraine , but they were volunteers . ' surprisingly , the president called on some journalists who are not known as being friendly to the kremlin and there were some uncomfortable questions . when putin said there 's a fine line ' between the opposition and a fifth column ' -- in other words , traitors to russia -- reporters twice followed up with pointed questions , including a demand that he name those members of the fifth column . ' he did not . others asked him what is the salary of igor sechin , head of the russian oil giant rosneft ? he said he did n't know . in one of the most dramatic questions , a russian reporter asked putin if he is worried that members of his inner circle could carry out a palace coup ? ' putin , who in spite of his somewhat fierce image abroad , does have a sense of humor , defused the question with a smile . we ca n't have a palace coup because we have no palaces , ' he said . stability is based on support of the russian people , he said , and the people believe we are acting in their interest . '	putin 's first challenge was to assure russians they can overcome an unfavorable scenario '
putin <tsp> president vladimir putin 's news conferences are n't at all like news conferences i used to attend in washington , when i covered the white house . first , there are the stuffed animals . since there are more than 1,200 journalists in the giant hall , they have to attract president putin 's attention some way , so some bring stuffed animals , raise home-made signs , or wear t-shirts specially printed up to advertise the region or news organization they come from . then there 's the length of the conference . this one was the usual length -- three and a half hours . others have been longer . this was vladimir putin 's 10th news conference and it could n't have happened at a worse time . as the russians say , the smell of kerosene was in the air . the value of the russian currency , the ruble , was dropping like a stone , the u.s. and europe were just announcing yet more sanctions , russia was on the verse of a recession , but the president refused to call it a crisis . ' striding into the hall , putin appeared cool , calm and collected . close-ups of the president 's face were broadcast on two giant screens on either side of the hall , his every glance , every gesture visible . putin 's first challenge was to assure his fellow citizens that russia can overcome what he called an unfavorable scenario ' and he promised that would happen -- in two years , maybe less . there was no real mea culpa for russia 's economic predicament . putin admitted only that the russian central bank and the government could have reacted more quickly to the economic challenges . instead , he blamed russia 's economic woes on external ' factors , asserting that economic sanctions account for just 25 to 30 % ' of russia 's economic problems . when a bbc reporter asked him about a new ' cold war , putin leaned forward like an athlete , insisting that that russia is simply defending its own interests . moscow , he said , has only two military bases outside its territory but the u.s. has bases all over the world . ' they told us there would be no nato expansion , he complained , and now the west is building new virtual walls around russia . putin is adept at turning the tables . one journalist asked him about reprisals by chechen authorities against the families of alleged terrorists , accusing russia 's government-financed tv channels of igniting hatred in society . putin quickly pointed to the torture report just released by the white house . the u.s. he said , legalized torture ' and even developed a method for carrying it out . how do you explain that ? ' he asked indignantly . putin spoke for several minutes on the image of the russian bear . ' the west , he claimed , wo n't leave the bear in peace , but wants to chain ' it , de-claw it , ' unless it sits obediently in the forest , eating berries . if there was one promising note , it was the russian president 's statement that the conflict in eastern ukraine should be settled peacefully . he acknowledged that there were russians in eastern ukraine , but they were volunteers . ' surprisingly , the president called on some journalists who are not known as being friendly to the kremlin and there were some uncomfortable questions . when putin said there 's a fine line ' between the opposition and a fifth column ' -- in other words , traitors to russia -- reporters twice followed up with pointed questions , including a demand that he name those members of the fifth column . ' he did not . others asked him what is the salary of igor sechin , head of the russian oil giant rosneft ? he said he did n't know . in one of the most dramatic questions , a russian reporter asked putin if he is worried that members of his inner circle could carry out a palace coup ? ' putin , who in spite of his somewhat fierce image abroad , does have a sense of humor , defused the question with a smile . we ca n't have a palace coup because we have no palaces , ' he said . stability is based on support of the russian people , he said , and the people believe we are acting in their interest . '	putin is adept at turning the tables , writes jill dougherty
doctor who <tsp> ( cnn ) -- on saturday , doctor who ' celebrates its historic 50th anniversary with a simulcast special in 75 countries . but it almost was n't to be . in 1989 , the show was canceled . a 1996 attempt to reboot it lasted as long as one tv movie . finally , in 2005 , the show was revived , and its fanbase has grown ever since . news of the 12th doctor , peter capaldi , made worldwide headlines . fans of the doctor -- an alien time lord ' who travels across space and time -- are no longer relegated to fan sites and doctor who ' conventions . the show is now a high point of each year 's san diego comic-con and prominently referenced on shows like the big bang theory ' and community . ' it 's also the no . 1 rated show on bbc america and won a prestigious peabody award this year . that 's quite an achievement for a show aimed at children that was quietly launched on november 23 , 1963 . marcus wilson , a producer doctor who ' since 2011 , spoke to cnn about the show 's legacy and what fans can expect for the big 50th anniversary episode , the day of the doctor . ' cnn : what do you think it is that has helped the show last 50 years , continuing to grow its fan base ? marcus wilson : it 's a very simple premise , yet it has endless flexibility : a man travels through time and space , fighting for good against evil wherever he goes . it 's accessible , uplifting and endlessly entertaining because it engages the viewer 's imagination and credits them with intelligence . it can regenerate itself ( even its leading man ) to keep the show modern and in tune with its audience . cnn : what sets the fandom for doctor who ' apart from others ? wilson : doctor who ' fans are the best in the world . they 've stayed with the show through thick and thin . they are devoted , smart and not afraid to let us know how they feel ! they feel a part of the show , particularly as they kept it alive through all the years it was off air . we 're very lucky to have them behind the show . cnn : how has the fandom evolved over the years ? wilson : it 's a generational thing . parents who watched the show as kids are now sharing it with their kids . the audience is constantly renewing . the late teenage/early 20s audience seems to be growing as the classic show is being rediscovered on itunes and box sets , and the brand spreads from the uk across the world . cnn : how important do you think the new ' series has been in attracting fans ? wilson : new material always rewards devotion , but we 've tried to develop the show and aspire to new ways of telling stories to keep the show evolving . the show changes to keep pace with the modern world . it 's very accessible , deliberately so , so hopefully the great stories , higher production values and superb cast have attracted people who had maybe dismissed the classic series . cnn : what are your fondest memories of doctor who ' ? wilson : as a fan , sitting down on a wintry saturday night with crumpets to watch tom baker 's doctor . as a producer , standing in central park shooting , surrounded by a horde of fans . it was quite exciting and humbling at the same time . cnn : is there anything in particular that you can promise fans when they see the 50th episode ? any teases of what can they expect ? wilson : it 's both a celebration of the past 50 years of doctor who , ' and the foundations of the future of the show . the next chapter starts here . it 's both a reward for the long-term fan -- questions will be answered ! -- and the perfect place for a new viewer to jump on . a tease ? a picture is worth a thousand words . ... cnn : what do you think is the show 's greatest contribution to science fiction ? to television ? wilson : i think we 've proved you ca n't keep a good show down !	producer marcus wilson has worked on doctor who ' since 2011
mohamed <tsp> cairo ( cnn ) everyone is on a mission to make up for lost time . at baher mohamed 's home in cairo , the al jazeera english journalist tries to get closer to his baby haron , born while he was in prison . a few days ago i managed to make him smile , ' mohamed told cnn . that 's great progress . i missed six months of his life and i ca n't get those back . ' his two other kids , hazem , 5 , and fayrouz , 4 , wo n't leave his side . for the 411 days he spent behind bars , they were told their father was at work . i told them every time they came to visit that i 'm at work , i 'm staying at work . they were still too young to live and to know about prison . ' mohamed now spends most of his time at home , tiptoeing away when he occasionally leaves so his children do n't cry . and throughout the day he checks on gatsby , his fur-heavy caucasian shepherd dog , that was shot by police who arrested mohamed in december 2013 . mohamed was arrested with colleagues mohamed fahmy and peter greste . they were brought to trial with 17 others on charges of belonging to a terrorist organization -- the muslim brotherhood -- threatening egypt 's national security and airing false news , among others . eleven were tried in absentia . not all were journalists , nor had a clear connection to al jazeera english . the cairo criminal court found them guilty in june 2014 . fahmy and greste were sentenced to seven years in prison . mohamed was sentenced to 10 , receiving an extra three years for charges of possession of ammunition , a bullet he collected from the field while reporting in libya . mohamed broke down when he was taken from court that day . i was terrified for my wife , because my wife was pregnant at that time . and i felt sorry for my children , because if i spent 10 years in prison , then i will go out of prison and then they will be 10 years older . they will be teenagers . and i will miss all that time . ' on january 1 , the court of cassation , which represents the final stage of criminal appeals , sent the case for retrial , explaining in documents released to the official news agency that the original verdict failed to provide reasoning for the conviction . the court said there was insufficient evidence for charges of belonging to an illegal organization -- a reference to the muslim brotherhood -- how the defendants joined the group , or their knowledge of its objectives which allegedly included terrorism . evidence and details for other charges such as possessing unlicensed broadcast equipment and receiving support from the brotherhood were also lacking , the court said . it criticized the criminal court 's handling of testimonies , search and arrest warrants , as well as confessions that defense lawyers claimed were made under duress . a month later , greste became the first man to benefit from a new law issued last november allowing the president to deport foreigners held in egypt . he arrived in his australian home city of brisbane days later . fahmy , an egyptian-canadian citizen , gave up his egyptian nationality in the hope of benefiting from the same law . he remained behind bars , though , and was only granted bail -- along with mohamed -- on february 12 . he told the court that day that he gave up his nationality reluctantly , and only after several high-ranking officials convinced him to do so . they told him nationality is not a piece of paper but it is in the heart . you can visit egypt as a tourist and apply for citizenship again at the state council . ' a new judge released all defendants pending a retrial . fahmy was singled out to pay 250,000 egyptian pounds ( roughly $ 33,000 ) bail , because as a foreigner he had no official residence in egypt . being a foreigner brought difficulties . his plans to get married to his fiancee marwa omara were complicated by the fact that instead of seeking a cleric to officiate at the wedding , the couple now has to go through a bureaucratic process involving the foreign and justice ministries . but the couple said that despite the trauma of fahmy 's imprisonment , the experience brought them closer . marwa is my hero . she was getting me all the news in prison and she was engaging with the lawyers and the media . she was basically my voice outside , ' fahmy said . sitting next to him , omara said prison made him see life in a new light . he became a stronger person . he became much stronger . more emotional . more romantic than before . ' along with mohamed , fahmy spent the first few weeks of his detention in the maximum-security scorpion prison in solitary confinement . a combination of sleeping on the floor and not getting the medical attention he needed at the time exacerbated a shoulder injury , limiting his arm 's mobility . this is among many things that keep him angry . i 'm furious , i get tantrums at night . i get angry . i used to get these tantrums in the cell , ' he said . the campaign and the support across that globe is great , but that 's not what 's going to get me out of prison . what is going to get me out of prison is a combination of a good lawyer , diplomatic engagement on the highest levels from canada and al jazeera senior management . ' capitalizing on a months-long , worldwide campaign -- # freeajstaff ' -- by al jazeera , another campaign is urging the canadian prime minister to push for fahmy 's extradition from egypt . meanwhile , fahmy has been more vocal in his criticism of his employer , accusing al jazeera management of negligence . one of many ongoing disagreements between the two sides is the legal representation . from the onset , fahmy refused to work with al jazeera lawyers because he did n't think they were experienced enough . he hired a different attorney , whom , he claimed , al jazeera refused to pay . al jazeera said it paid for his lawyer and his bail and has learned the lessons from the first trial , by hiring the lawyers that won the retrial at the court of cassation . we did everything possible to secure his release and to avoid it happening in the first place . every aspect of our response to the extreme incitement we 've faced in egypt since 2013 can be scrutinized in hindsight , and we 've said in the past that lessons have been learned , ' the network said in a statement to cnn . the trial continues amid a backdrop of ongoing tension between egypt and qatar -- the small middle eastern country that finances al jazeera -- and increasing restrictions on freedoms in egypt . a cairo court had banned one of al jazeera 's arabic channels in 2013 citing a threat to national security . the channel was believed to be a threat to egypt by supporting the outlawed muslim brotherhood . the network contested another verdict in 2014 that banned mubasher masr from using the egyptian satellite nilesat . it eventually shut down the controversial channel in december 2014 during short-lived improvement in egyptian-qatari relations . in addition to accusations of politicization , the trial is also emblematic of the general environment in egypt , where thousands have been imprisoned in a crackdown on dissent . rights groups accuse the judiciary of rubberstamping police and prosecution charges rather than providing fair trials , resulting in mass sentences . nagy shehata , the judge that issued the first conviction against aje journalists , has recently sentenced 183 people to death and 230 to life in prison in two other separate trials . they arrested us , not only me , i think to intimidate other journalists , to scare other journalists , ' said mohamed , adding that the lack of evidence in court and disputes over legal representation are irrelevant in a case that is principally about press freedom . mohamed says it is a battle he is willing to sacrifice everything for , emboldened by the solidarity of colleagues . quoting an exchange of messages between him and jailed egyptian photojournalist mahmoud abu zeid shawkan , he said : when there is one journalist behind bars , all journalists all over the world stand together just to free him . it 's not about news organizations or networks , no . it 's about us , it 's about freedom of speech . this is what we stand for . ' shawkan has been held without charge since august 2013 . at least eight other journalists remain behind bars , according to the committee to protect journalists . on march 8 , all defendants will return to court for the next hearing of their retrial . in the meantime , they enjoy the mundane things in life , ' which for fahmy means having dinner with his fiancee , or talking with his mother with no police cop watching you 24 hours a day . ' mohamed is enjoying being behind the wheel of his car -- and simply being outside . i saw the colors of the skies and this blue and purple and red . this color and this view made me feel this is freedom . it was the first time to see the sunrise in 411 days . '	al jazeera english journalist baher mohamed released on bail from prison in egypt
mohamed <tsp> cairo ( cnn ) everyone is on a mission to make up for lost time . at baher mohamed 's home in cairo , the al jazeera english journalist tries to get closer to his baby haron , born while he was in prison . a few days ago i managed to make him smile , ' mohamed told cnn . that 's great progress . i missed six months of his life and i ca n't get those back . ' his two other kids , hazem , 5 , and fayrouz , 4 , wo n't leave his side . for the 411 days he spent behind bars , they were told their father was at work . i told them every time they came to visit that i 'm at work , i 'm staying at work . they were still too young to live and to know about prison . ' mohamed now spends most of his time at home , tiptoeing away when he occasionally leaves so his children do n't cry . and throughout the day he checks on gatsby , his fur-heavy caucasian shepherd dog , that was shot by police who arrested mohamed in december 2013 . mohamed was arrested with colleagues mohamed fahmy and peter greste . they were brought to trial with 17 others on charges of belonging to a terrorist organization -- the muslim brotherhood -- threatening egypt 's national security and airing false news , among others . eleven were tried in absentia . not all were journalists , nor had a clear connection to al jazeera english . the cairo criminal court found them guilty in june 2014 . fahmy and greste were sentenced to seven years in prison . mohamed was sentenced to 10 , receiving an extra three years for charges of possession of ammunition , a bullet he collected from the field while reporting in libya . mohamed broke down when he was taken from court that day . i was terrified for my wife , because my wife was pregnant at that time . and i felt sorry for my children , because if i spent 10 years in prison , then i will go out of prison and then they will be 10 years older . they will be teenagers . and i will miss all that time . ' on january 1 , the court of cassation , which represents the final stage of criminal appeals , sent the case for retrial , explaining in documents released to the official news agency that the original verdict failed to provide reasoning for the conviction . the court said there was insufficient evidence for charges of belonging to an illegal organization -- a reference to the muslim brotherhood -- how the defendants joined the group , or their knowledge of its objectives which allegedly included terrorism . evidence and details for other charges such as possessing unlicensed broadcast equipment and receiving support from the brotherhood were also lacking , the court said . it criticized the criminal court 's handling of testimonies , search and arrest warrants , as well as confessions that defense lawyers claimed were made under duress . a month later , greste became the first man to benefit from a new law issued last november allowing the president to deport foreigners held in egypt . he arrived in his australian home city of brisbane days later . fahmy , an egyptian-canadian citizen , gave up his egyptian nationality in the hope of benefiting from the same law . he remained behind bars , though , and was only granted bail -- along with mohamed -- on february 12 . he told the court that day that he gave up his nationality reluctantly , and only after several high-ranking officials convinced him to do so . they told him nationality is not a piece of paper but it is in the heart . you can visit egypt as a tourist and apply for citizenship again at the state council . ' a new judge released all defendants pending a retrial . fahmy was singled out to pay 250,000 egyptian pounds ( roughly $ 33,000 ) bail , because as a foreigner he had no official residence in egypt . being a foreigner brought difficulties . his plans to get married to his fiancee marwa omara were complicated by the fact that instead of seeking a cleric to officiate at the wedding , the couple now has to go through a bureaucratic process involving the foreign and justice ministries . but the couple said that despite the trauma of fahmy 's imprisonment , the experience brought them closer . marwa is my hero . she was getting me all the news in prison and she was engaging with the lawyers and the media . she was basically my voice outside , ' fahmy said . sitting next to him , omara said prison made him see life in a new light . he became a stronger person . he became much stronger . more emotional . more romantic than before . ' along with mohamed , fahmy spent the first few weeks of his detention in the maximum-security scorpion prison in solitary confinement . a combination of sleeping on the floor and not getting the medical attention he needed at the time exacerbated a shoulder injury , limiting his arm 's mobility . this is among many things that keep him angry . i 'm furious , i get tantrums at night . i get angry . i used to get these tantrums in the cell , ' he said . the campaign and the support across that globe is great , but that 's not what 's going to get me out of prison . what is going to get me out of prison is a combination of a good lawyer , diplomatic engagement on the highest levels from canada and al jazeera senior management . ' capitalizing on a months-long , worldwide campaign -- # freeajstaff ' -- by al jazeera , another campaign is urging the canadian prime minister to push for fahmy 's extradition from egypt . meanwhile , fahmy has been more vocal in his criticism of his employer , accusing al jazeera management of negligence . one of many ongoing disagreements between the two sides is the legal representation . from the onset , fahmy refused to work with al jazeera lawyers because he did n't think they were experienced enough . he hired a different attorney , whom , he claimed , al jazeera refused to pay . al jazeera said it paid for his lawyer and his bail and has learned the lessons from the first trial , by hiring the lawyers that won the retrial at the court of cassation . we did everything possible to secure his release and to avoid it happening in the first place . every aspect of our response to the extreme incitement we 've faced in egypt since 2013 can be scrutinized in hindsight , and we 've said in the past that lessons have been learned , ' the network said in a statement to cnn . the trial continues amid a backdrop of ongoing tension between egypt and qatar -- the small middle eastern country that finances al jazeera -- and increasing restrictions on freedoms in egypt . a cairo court had banned one of al jazeera 's arabic channels in 2013 citing a threat to national security . the channel was believed to be a threat to egypt by supporting the outlawed muslim brotherhood . the network contested another verdict in 2014 that banned mubasher masr from using the egyptian satellite nilesat . it eventually shut down the controversial channel in december 2014 during short-lived improvement in egyptian-qatari relations . in addition to accusations of politicization , the trial is also emblematic of the general environment in egypt , where thousands have been imprisoned in a crackdown on dissent . rights groups accuse the judiciary of rubberstamping police and prosecution charges rather than providing fair trials , resulting in mass sentences . nagy shehata , the judge that issued the first conviction against aje journalists , has recently sentenced 183 people to death and 230 to life in prison in two other separate trials . they arrested us , not only me , i think to intimidate other journalists , to scare other journalists , ' said mohamed , adding that the lack of evidence in court and disputes over legal representation are irrelevant in a case that is principally about press freedom . mohamed says it is a battle he is willing to sacrifice everything for , emboldened by the solidarity of colleagues . quoting an exchange of messages between him and jailed egyptian photojournalist mahmoud abu zeid shawkan , he said : when there is one journalist behind bars , all journalists all over the world stand together just to free him . it 's not about news organizations or networks , no . it 's about us , it 's about freedom of speech . this is what we stand for . ' shawkan has been held without charge since august 2013 . at least eight other journalists remain behind bars , according to the committee to protect journalists . on march 8 , all defendants will return to court for the next hearing of their retrial . in the meantime , they enjoy the mundane things in life , ' which for fahmy means having dinner with his fiancee , or talking with his mother with no police cop watching you 24 hours a day . ' mohamed is enjoying being behind the wheel of his car -- and simply being outside . i saw the colors of the skies and this blue and purple and red . this color and this view made me feel this is freedom . it was the first time to see the sunrise in 411 days . '	mohamed sentenced to 10 years for belonging to terrorist group , muslim brotherhood
muslim brotherhood <tsp> cairo ( cnn ) everyone is on a mission to make up for lost time . at baher mohamed 's home in cairo , the al jazeera english journalist tries to get closer to his baby haron , born while he was in prison . a few days ago i managed to make him smile , ' mohamed told cnn . that 's great progress . i missed six months of his life and i ca n't get those back . ' his two other kids , hazem , 5 , and fayrouz , 4 , wo n't leave his side . for the 411 days he spent behind bars , they were told their father was at work . i told them every time they came to visit that i 'm at work , i 'm staying at work . they were still too young to live and to know about prison . ' mohamed now spends most of his time at home , tiptoeing away when he occasionally leaves so his children do n't cry . and throughout the day he checks on gatsby , his fur-heavy caucasian shepherd dog , that was shot by police who arrested mohamed in december 2013 . mohamed was arrested with colleagues mohamed fahmy and peter greste . they were brought to trial with 17 others on charges of belonging to a terrorist organization -- the muslim brotherhood -- threatening egypt 's national security and airing false news , among others . eleven were tried in absentia . not all were journalists , nor had a clear connection to al jazeera english . the cairo criminal court found them guilty in june 2014 . fahmy and greste were sentenced to seven years in prison . mohamed was sentenced to 10 , receiving an extra three years for charges of possession of ammunition , a bullet he collected from the field while reporting in libya . mohamed broke down when he was taken from court that day . i was terrified for my wife , because my wife was pregnant at that time . and i felt sorry for my children , because if i spent 10 years in prison , then i will go out of prison and then they will be 10 years older . they will be teenagers . and i will miss all that time . ' on january 1 , the court of cassation , which represents the final stage of criminal appeals , sent the case for retrial , explaining in documents released to the official news agency that the original verdict failed to provide reasoning for the conviction . the court said there was insufficient evidence for charges of belonging to an illegal organization -- a reference to the muslim brotherhood -- how the defendants joined the group , or their knowledge of its objectives which allegedly included terrorism . evidence and details for other charges such as possessing unlicensed broadcast equipment and receiving support from the brotherhood were also lacking , the court said . it criticized the criminal court 's handling of testimonies , search and arrest warrants , as well as confessions that defense lawyers claimed were made under duress . a month later , greste became the first man to benefit from a new law issued last november allowing the president to deport foreigners held in egypt . he arrived in his australian home city of brisbane days later . fahmy , an egyptian-canadian citizen , gave up his egyptian nationality in the hope of benefiting from the same law . he remained behind bars , though , and was only granted bail -- along with mohamed -- on february 12 . he told the court that day that he gave up his nationality reluctantly , and only after several high-ranking officials convinced him to do so . they told him nationality is not a piece of paper but it is in the heart . you can visit egypt as a tourist and apply for citizenship again at the state council . ' a new judge released all defendants pending a retrial . fahmy was singled out to pay 250,000 egyptian pounds ( roughly $ 33,000 ) bail , because as a foreigner he had no official residence in egypt . being a foreigner brought difficulties . his plans to get married to his fiancee marwa omara were complicated by the fact that instead of seeking a cleric to officiate at the wedding , the couple now has to go through a bureaucratic process involving the foreign and justice ministries . but the couple said that despite the trauma of fahmy 's imprisonment , the experience brought them closer . marwa is my hero . she was getting me all the news in prison and she was engaging with the lawyers and the media . she was basically my voice outside , ' fahmy said . sitting next to him , omara said prison made him see life in a new light . he became a stronger person . he became much stronger . more emotional . more romantic than before . ' along with mohamed , fahmy spent the first few weeks of his detention in the maximum-security scorpion prison in solitary confinement . a combination of sleeping on the floor and not getting the medical attention he needed at the time exacerbated a shoulder injury , limiting his arm 's mobility . this is among many things that keep him angry . i 'm furious , i get tantrums at night . i get angry . i used to get these tantrums in the cell , ' he said . the campaign and the support across that globe is great , but that 's not what 's going to get me out of prison . what is going to get me out of prison is a combination of a good lawyer , diplomatic engagement on the highest levels from canada and al jazeera senior management . ' capitalizing on a months-long , worldwide campaign -- # freeajstaff ' -- by al jazeera , another campaign is urging the canadian prime minister to push for fahmy 's extradition from egypt . meanwhile , fahmy has been more vocal in his criticism of his employer , accusing al jazeera management of negligence . one of many ongoing disagreements between the two sides is the legal representation . from the onset , fahmy refused to work with al jazeera lawyers because he did n't think they were experienced enough . he hired a different attorney , whom , he claimed , al jazeera refused to pay . al jazeera said it paid for his lawyer and his bail and has learned the lessons from the first trial , by hiring the lawyers that won the retrial at the court of cassation . we did everything possible to secure his release and to avoid it happening in the first place . every aspect of our response to the extreme incitement we 've faced in egypt since 2013 can be scrutinized in hindsight , and we 've said in the past that lessons have been learned , ' the network said in a statement to cnn . the trial continues amid a backdrop of ongoing tension between egypt and qatar -- the small middle eastern country that finances al jazeera -- and increasing restrictions on freedoms in egypt . a cairo court had banned one of al jazeera 's arabic channels in 2013 citing a threat to national security . the channel was believed to be a threat to egypt by supporting the outlawed muslim brotherhood . the network contested another verdict in 2014 that banned mubasher masr from using the egyptian satellite nilesat . it eventually shut down the controversial channel in december 2014 during short-lived improvement in egyptian-qatari relations . in addition to accusations of politicization , the trial is also emblematic of the general environment in egypt , where thousands have been imprisoned in a crackdown on dissent . rights groups accuse the judiciary of rubberstamping police and prosecution charges rather than providing fair trials , resulting in mass sentences . nagy shehata , the judge that issued the first conviction against aje journalists , has recently sentenced 183 people to death and 230 to life in prison in two other separate trials . they arrested us , not only me , i think to intimidate other journalists , to scare other journalists , ' said mohamed , adding that the lack of evidence in court and disputes over legal representation are irrelevant in a case that is principally about press freedom . mohamed says it is a battle he is willing to sacrifice everything for , emboldened by the solidarity of colleagues . quoting an exchange of messages between him and jailed egyptian photojournalist mahmoud abu zeid shawkan , he said : when there is one journalist behind bars , all journalists all over the world stand together just to free him . it 's not about news organizations or networks , no . it 's about us , it 's about freedom of speech . this is what we stand for . ' shawkan has been held without charge since august 2013 . at least eight other journalists remain behind bars , according to the committee to protect journalists . on march 8 , all defendants will return to court for the next hearing of their retrial . in the meantime , they enjoy the mundane things in life , ' which for fahmy means having dinner with his fiancee , or talking with his mother with no police cop watching you 24 hours a day . ' mohamed is enjoying being behind the wheel of his car -- and simply being outside . i saw the colors of the skies and this blue and purple and red . this color and this view made me feel this is freedom . it was the first time to see the sunrise in 411 days . '	mohamed sentenced to 10 years for belonging to terrorist group , muslim brotherhood
egypt <tsp> cairo ( cnn ) everyone is on a mission to make up for lost time . at baher mohamed 's home in cairo , the al jazeera english journalist tries to get closer to his baby haron , born while he was in prison . a few days ago i managed to make him smile , ' mohamed told cnn . that 's great progress . i missed six months of his life and i ca n't get those back . ' his two other kids , hazem , 5 , and fayrouz , 4 , wo n't leave his side . for the 411 days he spent behind bars , they were told their father was at work . i told them every time they came to visit that i 'm at work , i 'm staying at work . they were still too young to live and to know about prison . ' mohamed now spends most of his time at home , tiptoeing away when he occasionally leaves so his children do n't cry . and throughout the day he checks on gatsby , his fur-heavy caucasian shepherd dog , that was shot by police who arrested mohamed in december 2013 . mohamed was arrested with colleagues mohamed fahmy and peter greste . they were brought to trial with 17 others on charges of belonging to a terrorist organization -- the muslim brotherhood -- threatening egypt 's national security and airing false news , among others . eleven were tried in absentia . not all were journalists , nor had a clear connection to al jazeera english . the cairo criminal court found them guilty in june 2014 . fahmy and greste were sentenced to seven years in prison . mohamed was sentenced to 10 , receiving an extra three years for charges of possession of ammunition , a bullet he collected from the field while reporting in libya . mohamed broke down when he was taken from court that day . i was terrified for my wife , because my wife was pregnant at that time . and i felt sorry for my children , because if i spent 10 years in prison , then i will go out of prison and then they will be 10 years older . they will be teenagers . and i will miss all that time . ' on january 1 , the court of cassation , which represents the final stage of criminal appeals , sent the case for retrial , explaining in documents released to the official news agency that the original verdict failed to provide reasoning for the conviction . the court said there was insufficient evidence for charges of belonging to an illegal organization -- a reference to the muslim brotherhood -- how the defendants joined the group , or their knowledge of its objectives which allegedly included terrorism . evidence and details for other charges such as possessing unlicensed broadcast equipment and receiving support from the brotherhood were also lacking , the court said . it criticized the criminal court 's handling of testimonies , search and arrest warrants , as well as confessions that defense lawyers claimed were made under duress . a month later , greste became the first man to benefit from a new law issued last november allowing the president to deport foreigners held in egypt . he arrived in his australian home city of brisbane days later . fahmy , an egyptian-canadian citizen , gave up his egyptian nationality in the hope of benefiting from the same law . he remained behind bars , though , and was only granted bail -- along with mohamed -- on february 12 . he told the court that day that he gave up his nationality reluctantly , and only after several high-ranking officials convinced him to do so . they told him nationality is not a piece of paper but it is in the heart . you can visit egypt as a tourist and apply for citizenship again at the state council . ' a new judge released all defendants pending a retrial . fahmy was singled out to pay 250,000 egyptian pounds ( roughly $ 33,000 ) bail , because as a foreigner he had no official residence in egypt . being a foreigner brought difficulties . his plans to get married to his fiancee marwa omara were complicated by the fact that instead of seeking a cleric to officiate at the wedding , the couple now has to go through a bureaucratic process involving the foreign and justice ministries . but the couple said that despite the trauma of fahmy 's imprisonment , the experience brought them closer . marwa is my hero . she was getting me all the news in prison and she was engaging with the lawyers and the media . she was basically my voice outside , ' fahmy said . sitting next to him , omara said prison made him see life in a new light . he became a stronger person . he became much stronger . more emotional . more romantic than before . ' along with mohamed , fahmy spent the first few weeks of his detention in the maximum-security scorpion prison in solitary confinement . a combination of sleeping on the floor and not getting the medical attention he needed at the time exacerbated a shoulder injury , limiting his arm 's mobility . this is among many things that keep him angry . i 'm furious , i get tantrums at night . i get angry . i used to get these tantrums in the cell , ' he said . the campaign and the support across that globe is great , but that 's not what 's going to get me out of prison . what is going to get me out of prison is a combination of a good lawyer , diplomatic engagement on the highest levels from canada and al jazeera senior management . ' capitalizing on a months-long , worldwide campaign -- # freeajstaff ' -- by al jazeera , another campaign is urging the canadian prime minister to push for fahmy 's extradition from egypt . meanwhile , fahmy has been more vocal in his criticism of his employer , accusing al jazeera management of negligence . one of many ongoing disagreements between the two sides is the legal representation . from the onset , fahmy refused to work with al jazeera lawyers because he did n't think they were experienced enough . he hired a different attorney , whom , he claimed , al jazeera refused to pay . al jazeera said it paid for his lawyer and his bail and has learned the lessons from the first trial , by hiring the lawyers that won the retrial at the court of cassation . we did everything possible to secure his release and to avoid it happening in the first place . every aspect of our response to the extreme incitement we 've faced in egypt since 2013 can be scrutinized in hindsight , and we 've said in the past that lessons have been learned , ' the network said in a statement to cnn . the trial continues amid a backdrop of ongoing tension between egypt and qatar -- the small middle eastern country that finances al jazeera -- and increasing restrictions on freedoms in egypt . a cairo court had banned one of al jazeera 's arabic channels in 2013 citing a threat to national security . the channel was believed to be a threat to egypt by supporting the outlawed muslim brotherhood . the network contested another verdict in 2014 that banned mubasher masr from using the egyptian satellite nilesat . it eventually shut down the controversial channel in december 2014 during short-lived improvement in egyptian-qatari relations . in addition to accusations of politicization , the trial is also emblematic of the general environment in egypt , where thousands have been imprisoned in a crackdown on dissent . rights groups accuse the judiciary of rubberstamping police and prosecution charges rather than providing fair trials , resulting in mass sentences . nagy shehata , the judge that issued the first conviction against aje journalists , has recently sentenced 183 people to death and 230 to life in prison in two other separate trials . they arrested us , not only me , i think to intimidate other journalists , to scare other journalists , ' said mohamed , adding that the lack of evidence in court and disputes over legal representation are irrelevant in a case that is principally about press freedom . mohamed says it is a battle he is willing to sacrifice everything for , emboldened by the solidarity of colleagues . quoting an exchange of messages between him and jailed egyptian photojournalist mahmoud abu zeid shawkan , he said : when there is one journalist behind bars , all journalists all over the world stand together just to free him . it 's not about news organizations or networks , no . it 's about us , it 's about freedom of speech . this is what we stand for . ' shawkan has been held without charge since august 2013 . at least eight other journalists remain behind bars , according to the committee to protect journalists . on march 8 , all defendants will return to court for the next hearing of their retrial . in the meantime , they enjoy the mundane things in life , ' which for fahmy means having dinner with his fiancee , or talking with his mother with no police cop watching you 24 hours a day . ' mohamed is enjoying being behind the wheel of his car -- and simply being outside . i saw the colors of the skies and this blue and purple and red . this color and this view made me feel this is freedom . it was the first time to see the sunrise in 411 days . '	al jazeera english journalist baher mohamed released on bail from prison in egypt
taylor swift <tsp> ( cnn ) -- as if saturday 's date -- 12/13/14 -- was n't special enough , it 's also entertainer taylor swift 's 25th birthday , and the internet is celebrating . so , what happens when you 're taylor swift and it 's your birthday ? for one , legions of swifties rejoice , celebrating everything from your red lipstick to your billboard woman of the year ' award and seven grammys , making you a worldwide trending twitter topic . also , aretha franklin sings you happy birthday ' in front of some of the music industry 's biggest names . and , your close pals jay-z , beyonce , justin timberlake and karlie kloss help you celebrate . even your bff selena gomez gets her nails done in your honor . even swift is calling it the # bestbirthdayever ... until next year , most likely . the cnn 10 : the influentials	taylor swift turns 25 on 12/13/14
iran <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the specter of u.s. military intervention in syria prompted dire warnings from iran 's supreme leader , new president , and top diplomat , according to iran 's fars news agency . talk of u.s. military action against syria 's bashar al-assad regime emerged after what rebels say was a deadly chemical attack by the regime that killed civilians last week . since then , a flurry of comments and activity seems to be laying the groundwork for a military strike against the regime . at the same time , united nations inspectors are looking for evidence that chemical weapons were used in the damascus suburbs . the mounting tension has brought warnings from leaders in iran , a longtime supporter of the al-assad regime . starting this fire will be like a spark in a large store of gunpowder , with unclear and unspecified outcomes and consequences , ' supreme leader ayatollah ali khamenei told iranian cabinet members in tehran on wednesday . syria strikes could worsen war , analysts say ' the u.s. threats and possible intervention in syria is a disaster for the region and if such an act is done , certainly , the americans will sustain damage like when they interfered in iraq and afghanistan . ' president hassan rouhani , also speaking to the cabinet , said people in the middle east and the world wo n't accept a new war ' and deplored threats to use force . any adventurism in the region will pose irreparable dangers to the stability of the region and the world and will merely lead to the spread of extremism and terrorism in the region , ' rouhani said .'red line'debate : chemical weapons worse than attacks ? he called on the u.n. inspectors to carry out unbiased investigations to identify the culprits behind the chemical weapons use in syria , and said , each and every measure should be taken with respect to the sensitive situation of the region , rapid ending of the internal crisis , and prevention of extremism in the region and in the framework of the international rules and regulations . ' foreign minister mohammad javad zarif likened a possible attack to a return to the middle ages . ' zarif condemned any possible military intervention in syria on wednesday , warning of graver conditions ' should strikes be carried out . syria : chemical weapons -- how did we get here ? after last week 's attack , new dynamics the syrian conflict grew into a full-blown civil war after a fierce government crackdown started on civilian protesters in march 2011 . as the crisis worsened , the united states and other western countries embarked on diplomacy and shunned force to end the crisis , which has left more than 100,000 people dead and millions of civilians displaced , according to the united nations . but the attack on the outskirts of damascus last week appeared to have changed the dynamics and put the possibility of force front and center . what justifies intervening if syria uses chemical weapons ? the al-assad government , syrian rebels say , used chemical weapons in the attack and killed more than 1,300 people . u.s. president barack obama said last year that the movement or use of chemical weaponry in syria would represent a red line ' in the conflict . the united states has deployed warships off the coast of syria , and western powers say a strike on syria could be imminent after reports of a chemical weapons attack that killed hundreds . along with iran , russia has criticized the idea of a strike in syria . russian foreign minister sergey lavrov said there 's no proof yet syria 's government is behind last week 's chemical attack . the russia foreign ministry accused washington of trying to create artificial groundless excuses for military intervention . ' the west handles the islamic world the way a monkey handles a grenade , ' russian deputy prime minister dmitry rogozin said on twitter . iran and syria : allies for years iran 's support for syria has been unwavering , ' according to karim sadjadpour , who wrote an essay about the relationship for the combating terrorism center at west point . mutual contempt for saddam hussein 's iraq brought syria and iran together in 1980 and mutual fear and loathing of the united states and israel has helped sustain their alliance , ' he wrote . he noted that syria has been iran 's only consistent ally since the 1979 islamic resolution ' and has been a geographic thoroughfare ' to hezbollah , the lebanese shiite militia -- one of the crown jewels of the iranian revolution . ' iran is the world 's most populous shiite muslim nation and is led by shiite religious authorities . the syrian government is dominated by alawites , a shiite offshoot , and the rebels are dominated by sunnis . iranian motivations in keeping the al-assad regime in power are also driven by deep concerns about the composition of a post-assad government . given syria 's overwhelming sunni arab demographic majority , iran fears the prospect of syria being rendered a sunni sectarian regime aligned with saudi arabia or the united states and hostile to shi ` a iran , ' sadjadpour said . what happens if the regime loses damascus ' ? should iran preserve a sphere of influence by supporting a predominantly alawite militia representing only a small fraction of syrian society , or to befriend the sunni rebels poised to wield authority in damascus ? ' contrary to conventional wisdom , what is most important for iran is not the sectarian composition of syria 's future leaders , but a like-minded ideological worldview premised on resistance to the united states and israel , ' sadjadpour wrote .	iran 's supreme leader says possible intervention ' would be disaster '
china <tsp> ( cnn ) -- three decades ago chinese leaders unleashed a series of economic reforms that helped lift millions of people out of poverty and transform the asian country into an industrial powerhouse with a mighty foreign reserve arsenal . the transition , however , was far from smooth . particularly the first 10 years , it was really tough and hard , ' explains zhong jianhua , china 's special representative on african affairs . so many businesses , factories , go ( into ) bankruptcy , millions of workers were being redundant or unemployed . ' before becoming today 's economic behemoth , china was mainly an agricultural economy that boasted huge reserves of natural resources -- quite similar to many parts of africa . so are there any lessons that african countries can learn from china as they bid to boost their economies and achieve their development goals ? according to zhong , long-term economic success does n't come without short-term cost , and that is the message he is keen to get across to african leaders . when we introduce our experience to african countries , on one side we need to say what you should do and need to do , and probably on the other side we should emphasize what you could expect . ' cnn 's robyn curnow spoke to zhong about trade , investment and what lessons can africa learn from china 's rise to a superpower . an edited version of the interview follows . cnn : what can china teach africa ? zhong jianhua : i can tell you a lot of things about what happened in china , what we have learned and what we experienced . personally i think that probably for the last few years when we try to impress people that we are successful with this open reform policy , we emphasize too much on what we have achieved . obama 's goal in africa : counter china this is good because you need to prove you are successful but i think a little bit thing that 's being ignored is how much we 've paid for that . and if you are ignoring the price you pay for this kind of success , and particularly for african countries , if they understood that'you chinese have some tricks , teach me the trick and then i will be as rich as you are'and then we , particularly myself , look back and say geez , these 30 years how did we experience that ? ' particularly the first 10 years it was really tough and hard ; so many businesses , factories , go ( into ) bankruptcy , millions of workers were being redundant or unemployed . so probably when we introduce our experience to african countries , on one side we need to say what you should do and need to do , and probably on the other side we should emphasize what you could expect . cnn : do you think african leaders are ready , willing and able to make those sacrifices ? zj : i will not answer on their behalf ; i would rather let them to answer that . but what we can contribute is to share what we have experienced . this could possibly happen anywhere if you want to have a reform . i think african countries , if they want to reform the structure of the economy , want to come forward and to become developed , this kind of challenge probably will come to them sooner or later . read this : can china transform africa ? cnn : china in many ways is part of this reform in africa , a relationship that is becoming more criticized . nigeria 's central bank governor wrote , for example , recently that china 's relationship with africa whiffs of colonialism . zj : i fully understand him . i think he has the reason to be anxious , sometimes be angry . but i say that do n't jump to the conclusion so easily . colonialism is a heavy word ; when i think about colonialism i think about the six cents a barrel of oil being exported from this continent , leaving this continent with only poverty . but now what 's happening is changing this whole continent . because with the commodity trade with the world , it can generate its own development and foundation for infrastructure . this is the change , it 's happening . read this : obama'plays catch up'in africa but i really admire the governor for his courage to say in his article that we need to compete with china . ' this is something i see as a very bright point in his article because i think eventually african people should be confident enough to stand up , to compete with any country of the world . without that kind of competition africa can never develop itself and i always say that there is no loser in this competition ; everyone benefits from this kind of competition because this competition means development . i think the same thing will happen in africa . i 'm glad to see that ; our opportunity is to help them to compete with us , to help them win this competition . that 's the future ; it 's called a win-win situation . cnn : so what does china want from africa ? zj : we want a more prosperous world ; without that china can not develop itself . what the more prosperous world means is to lift this continent out of poverty . repeat what happened in china ; [ a ] repeat [ of ] what happened in china benefits africa , and china itself will also benefit from that .	zhong jianhua is china 's special representative on african affairs
china <tsp> ( cnn ) -- three decades ago chinese leaders unleashed a series of economic reforms that helped lift millions of people out of poverty and transform the asian country into an industrial powerhouse with a mighty foreign reserve arsenal . the transition , however , was far from smooth . particularly the first 10 years , it was really tough and hard , ' explains zhong jianhua , china 's special representative on african affairs . so many businesses , factories , go ( into ) bankruptcy , millions of workers were being redundant or unemployed . ' before becoming today 's economic behemoth , china was mainly an agricultural economy that boasted huge reserves of natural resources -- quite similar to many parts of africa . so are there any lessons that african countries can learn from china as they bid to boost their economies and achieve their development goals ? according to zhong , long-term economic success does n't come without short-term cost , and that is the message he is keen to get across to african leaders . when we introduce our experience to african countries , on one side we need to say what you should do and need to do , and probably on the other side we should emphasize what you could expect . ' cnn 's robyn curnow spoke to zhong about trade , investment and what lessons can africa learn from china 's rise to a superpower . an edited version of the interview follows . cnn : what can china teach africa ? zhong jianhua : i can tell you a lot of things about what happened in china , what we have learned and what we experienced . personally i think that probably for the last few years when we try to impress people that we are successful with this open reform policy , we emphasize too much on what we have achieved . obama 's goal in africa : counter china this is good because you need to prove you are successful but i think a little bit thing that 's being ignored is how much we 've paid for that . and if you are ignoring the price you pay for this kind of success , and particularly for african countries , if they understood that'you chinese have some tricks , teach me the trick and then i will be as rich as you are'and then we , particularly myself , look back and say geez , these 30 years how did we experience that ? ' particularly the first 10 years it was really tough and hard ; so many businesses , factories , go ( into ) bankruptcy , millions of workers were being redundant or unemployed . so probably when we introduce our experience to african countries , on one side we need to say what you should do and need to do , and probably on the other side we should emphasize what you could expect . cnn : do you think african leaders are ready , willing and able to make those sacrifices ? zj : i will not answer on their behalf ; i would rather let them to answer that . but what we can contribute is to share what we have experienced . this could possibly happen anywhere if you want to have a reform . i think african countries , if they want to reform the structure of the economy , want to come forward and to become developed , this kind of challenge probably will come to them sooner or later . read this : can china transform africa ? cnn : china in many ways is part of this reform in africa , a relationship that is becoming more criticized . nigeria 's central bank governor wrote , for example , recently that china 's relationship with africa whiffs of colonialism . zj : i fully understand him . i think he has the reason to be anxious , sometimes be angry . but i say that do n't jump to the conclusion so easily . colonialism is a heavy word ; when i think about colonialism i think about the six cents a barrel of oil being exported from this continent , leaving this continent with only poverty . but now what 's happening is changing this whole continent . because with the commodity trade with the world , it can generate its own development and foundation for infrastructure . this is the change , it 's happening . read this : obama'plays catch up'in africa but i really admire the governor for his courage to say in his article that we need to compete with china . ' this is something i see as a very bright point in his article because i think eventually african people should be confident enough to stand up , to compete with any country of the world . without that kind of competition africa can never develop itself and i always say that there is no loser in this competition ; everyone benefits from this kind of competition because this competition means development . i think the same thing will happen in africa . i 'm glad to see that ; our opportunity is to help them to compete with us , to help them win this competition . that 's the future ; it 's called a win-win situation . cnn : so what does china want from africa ? zj : we want a more prosperous world ; without that china can not develop itself . what the more prosperous world means is to lift this continent out of poverty . repeat what happened in china ; [ a ] repeat [ of ] what happened in china benefits africa , and china itself will also benefit from that .	zhong says lifting africa out of poverty will help china develop itself
mark booher <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the last of three prisoners who escaped from indiana state prison earlier this month has been captured , authorities said thursday . lance battreal , from left , mark booher and charles smith escaped from an indiana prison july 12 . the u.s . marshals service captured mark booher , a murderer , around 11 a.m. , said shannon robinson , supervisor for a marshals service fugitive task force . booher was taken into custody without incident in a hotel room on the north side of indianapolis , indiana , she said . he had been sentenced in 1999 to 65 years for murder and robbery . booher escaped on july 12 from indiana state prison in michigan city , indiana , along with lance battreal , a rapist , and charles smith , also a murderer . battreal was serving a 50-year sentence for his convictions in 1998 for rape , criminal confinement and stalking . smith was captured the day after the jail break about eight miles away in southwestern michigan . battreal was captured tuesday at his parents'home in rockport , indiana . the inmates apparently escaped through underground tunnels , officials said . the prison was built around 1860 , and the tunnels -- lined with brick and concrete -- carry pipe chases and sewer lines . two of the escaped inmates had worked in the tunnels as assistants to maintenance employees , said john schrader , spokesman for the indiana department of correction .	mark booher , a murderer , captured in a hotel room in indianapolis
weather underground <tsp> ( cnn ) -- former weather underground militant bill ayers will appear at the university of wyoming on wednesday after a federal judge ruled he ca n't be barred from speaking on campus . u.s. district judge william downes ordered tuesday that the university must take all prudent steps ' to guarantee ayers'security at his lecture . the university had argued that serious threats ' prompted it to cancel the appearance by ayers , who is now a university of illinois education professor . downes'two-page order requires university officials to take all prudent steps to maintain order and provide for the security of participants and spectators . ' university officials wo n't appeal the order , said spokeswoman jessica lowell . university president tom buchanan said the school will do everything in our power to provide a safe and secure environment for his visit . ' ayers became a footnote to the 2008 presidential campaign because of his history of violent opposition to the vietnam war and his acquaintance with then-candidate barack obama . some prominent republicans suggested that ayers was a shadowy influence on obama during his 2008 presidential bid . gop presidential candidate john mccain urged obama to come clean ' about his relationship with ayers and vice presidential nominee sarah palin accused obama of palling around with terrorists . ' ayers and obama served on the annenberg challenge board and on the board of another chicago , illinois , charitable foundation , the woods fund , in the 1990s . a cnn review of the two men 's history found nothing inappropriate in their dealings , and ayers later called the attacks a profoundly dishonest narrative . ' david lane , a lawyer for ayers and university of wyoming student meghan lanker , called tuesday 's ruling inspirational ' and a huge victory for the first amendment . ' ayers was scheduled to speak on education issues at the university in early april , but the longstanding invitation drew controversy as the date neared . republican candidates for governor condemned the school for inviting him , and in court papers lanker stated she was told ayers'appearance would inflame public sentiments ' and hurt the university . but university officials said they pulled the plug because they had serious threats and other information concerning potential violence ' and argued that ayers could speak freely somewhere else . the uw administration did not bar ayers from campus , but denied permission to rent space for a large event on university property because of serious security concerns , ' buchanan said on the school 's website . ayers was a leader of the weather underground , a radical anti-war group that claimed responsibility for bomb attacks on the u.s. capitol , the pentagon and about 20 other targets . no one died in those attacks , though three weather underground members blew themselves up building another bomb in 1970 . ayers and his wife , fellow weather underground member bernadine dohrn , spent a decade on the run before surrendering to authorities in 1980 . the charges against him were dropped due to illegal wiretaps and prosecutorial misconduct .	ayers is former leader of weather underground
roh <tsp> seoul , south korea ( cnn ) -- former south korean president roh moo-hyun committed suicide saturday by leaping to his death from a hill behind his house , the government announced . former south korean president roh moo-hyun served from 2003-2008 . he was 62 . roh , who was president from 2003 to 2008 , had gone hiking near his home with an aide about 6:30 a.m. saturday ( 5:30 p.m . et on friday ) , the state-run yonhap news agency said . he was found later with head injuries , and died at 9:30 a.m. after being taken to a hospital in busan , police said . a hospital spokesman declined to comment . roh left a suicide note for his family that family lawyer moon jae-in handed out to south korean media . news reports said roh wrote it on his computer about half an hour before he left the house . i am in debt to too many people , ' the note reads . too many people have suffered because of me . and i can not imagine the suffering they will go through in the future . ' roh 's death came amid an investigation into a bribery scandal that had tarnished his reputation . prosecutors were investigating the former president for allegedly receiving $ 6 million in bribes from a south korean businessman while in office . roh 's wife was scheduled to be questioned by prosecutors saturday , and roh was planning to answer a second round of questions next week . with roh 's death , prosecutors said , the case against him has been suspended . roh had said he was ashamed about the scandal . in the first round of questioning , he said he was losing face and that he was disappointing his supporters . watch more about his death » the former president said he learned about the payments only after he left office and that some of them were legitimate investments , yonhap reported . roh wrote about his thoughts on a blog that he maintained , which also attracted supporters and tourists to his hometown , yonhap said . watch roh 's political rise and fall remembered » roh 's suicide note said his health was poor and that nothing is left in my life but to be a burden to others . ' do n't be too sad . are n't life and death both a piece of nature ? do n't be sorry . do n't blame anyone . it is fate , ' he wrote . the note asks that his body be cremated and for a small headstone to be left near his house . it 's what i have thought about for a long time , ' he writes at the end . although roh had not made a formal guilty plea , many were disappointed that a man who came to power vowing an end to corruption would face such allegations . u.s. president barack obama said in a statement he was saddened ' by news of roh 's death . during his tenure , president roh contributed to the strong and vital relationship between the united states and the republic of korea , ' obama said in the statement issued by the white house . on behalf of the government of the united states , i offer my condolences to his family and to the korean people . ' roh hoped to leave a legacy of improved relations with north korea . just before he left the presidency , roh became the first south korean leader to cross the demilitarized zone and meet with north korean leader kim jong il . roh believed in the sunshine policy ' of his predecessor , kim dae-jung , that sought to engage the north , and roh also promised aid . roh spoke to cnn correspondent sohn jie-ae just after that trip and said he thought his legacy would be to ensure that many others crossed the demilitarized zone after him . the current south korean president , lee myung-bak , however , takes a harder line on the north and has so far not continued roh 's efforts . cnn 's sohn jie-ae contributed to this report from seoul .	roh 's death came amid bribery investigation that has tarnished his reputation
roh <tsp> seoul , south korea ( cnn ) -- former south korean president roh moo-hyun committed suicide saturday by leaping to his death from a hill behind his house , the government announced . former south korean president roh moo-hyun served from 2003-2008 . he was 62 . roh , who was president from 2003 to 2008 , had gone hiking near his home with an aide about 6:30 a.m. saturday ( 5:30 p.m . et on friday ) , the state-run yonhap news agency said . he was found later with head injuries , and died at 9:30 a.m. after being taken to a hospital in busan , police said . a hospital spokesman declined to comment . roh left a suicide note for his family that family lawyer moon jae-in handed out to south korean media . news reports said roh wrote it on his computer about half an hour before he left the house . i am in debt to too many people , ' the note reads . too many people have suffered because of me . and i can not imagine the suffering they will go through in the future . ' roh 's death came amid an investigation into a bribery scandal that had tarnished his reputation . prosecutors were investigating the former president for allegedly receiving $ 6 million in bribes from a south korean businessman while in office . roh 's wife was scheduled to be questioned by prosecutors saturday , and roh was planning to answer a second round of questions next week . with roh 's death , prosecutors said , the case against him has been suspended . roh had said he was ashamed about the scandal . in the first round of questioning , he said he was losing face and that he was disappointing his supporters . watch more about his death » the former president said he learned about the payments only after he left office and that some of them were legitimate investments , yonhap reported . roh wrote about his thoughts on a blog that he maintained , which also attracted supporters and tourists to his hometown , yonhap said . watch roh 's political rise and fall remembered » roh 's suicide note said his health was poor and that nothing is left in my life but to be a burden to others . ' do n't be too sad . are n't life and death both a piece of nature ? do n't be sorry . do n't blame anyone . it is fate , ' he wrote . the note asks that his body be cremated and for a small headstone to be left near his house . it 's what i have thought about for a long time , ' he writes at the end . although roh had not made a formal guilty plea , many were disappointed that a man who came to power vowing an end to corruption would face such allegations . u.s. president barack obama said in a statement he was saddened ' by news of roh 's death . during his tenure , president roh contributed to the strong and vital relationship between the united states and the republic of korea , ' obama said in the statement issued by the white house . on behalf of the government of the united states , i offer my condolences to his family and to the korean people . ' roh hoped to leave a legacy of improved relations with north korea . just before he left the presidency , roh became the first south korean leader to cross the demilitarized zone and meet with north korean leader kim jong il . roh believed in the sunshine policy ' of his predecessor , kim dae-jung , that sought to engage the north , and roh also promised aid . roh spoke to cnn correspondent sohn jie-ae just after that trip and said he thought his legacy would be to ensure that many others crossed the demilitarized zone after him . the current south korean president , lee myung-bak , however , takes a harder line on the north and has so far not continued roh 's efforts . cnn 's sohn jie-ae contributed to this report from seoul .	attorney : roh committed suicide by leaping to his death from a hill
vermont <tsp> wilmington , vermont ( cnn ) -- residents of hatteras island , n.c. , can begin going home sunday morning , more than a week after most of them evacuated ahead of hurricane irene . the staged re-entry through tuesday will include the villages of buxton , hatteras and frisco , dare county energency management announced thursday . conditions , utility service and other supporting infrastructure in those villages is the most conducive for re-entry at this time , ' the county said in a statement . as conditions improve in the remaining villages , re-entry will be established and announced as soon as possible . ' visitors will not be able to go to hatteras island . instead , they can stay north of oregon inlet , the county said . about 2,500 residents of the island who did not take part in a mandatory evacuation have been receiving vital supplies and services . the storm washed out a critical stretch of highway 12 , a road that runs parallel to the atlantic ocean and connects hatteras island to the other barrier islands on north carolina 's outer banks . causeways from those barrier islands connect them to north carolina 's mainland . meanwhile , president barack obama declared a disaster in vermont , making federal grants and aid available to those who suffered losses from tropical storm irene . the money can be used by individuals in chittenden , rutland , washington and windsor counties for temporary housing and home repairs , according to the federal emergency management agency . low-cost loans are available to cover uninsured or under-insured property losses . counties eligible for federal funding to do emergency repairs and work are addison , bennington , caledonia , chittenden , essex , franklin , lamoille , orange , orleans , rutland , washington , windham and windsor . the president issued disaster declarations earlier this week in north carolina , new jersey and new york . irene killed 43 people from florida to new england as it marched up the eastern seaboard over the weekend , dumping torrential rain . some of the worst flooding struck vermont , new jersey and upstate new york . ten-foot-high floodwater poured through eileen ranslow 's 40-year-old flooring business in wilmington when irene struck vermont over the weekend . the family business , where revenue has dwindled in the economic downturn , now faces at least $ 300,000 in damage . it 's devastating . it 's devastating , ' ranslow said , her voice cracking . she is not alone , as the effects of irene continue to be felt in flood-ravaged communities along the u.s. east coast . flood advisories remained in place thursday for portions of new york , connecticut , new jersey , virginia and south carolina . in the days since irene , the extent of the damage has become more evident in upstate new york , where the storm battered a cluster of communities 50 miles southwest of albany . there is a lot of damage left to clean up . i know the town of prattsville has been almost completely condemned , ' said jacob hubbell of neighboring margaretville . fleischmanns is n't doing too well either , and main street ( in ) margaretville has been closed . ' it 's safe to say that we probably wo n't be back to normal in the catskills for at least a month . ' in northern new jersey , the passaic river has begun to settle back into its banks , the national weather service said . most locations are expected to drop below flood stage during the weekend as the high water works its way downstream . the development will be welcome news in the towns of wayne , totowa , little falls , paterson and woodland park , where about 1,700 residents were evacuated from their homes this week . obama will travel to paterson on sunday to view the damage , the white house announced . the full extent of irene 's destruction wo n't be known for some time . the federal government estimates that the cost from wind damage alone will exceed $ 1 billion . analysts have put the total expected cost of irene much higher . agriculture secretary tom vilsack said thursday the storm also took a toll on agricultural production . i had an opportunity to take a look at fields in north carolina , ' he said . i have never seen anything like it . the corn was just totally destroyed . tobacco hit hard , cotton hit hard . ' it remains to be seen how some other crops , such as soybeans and tomatoes , fared , he said , but it 's very clear that farmers in north carolina , virginia , along the east coast have suffered pretty significant losses . ' but , he said , it 's unlikely that higher prices will result , as we have such a diverse agriculture in the united states and we have so many acres planted and so many different crops . i do n't think this is going to affect much of anything . ' the federal government 's tab for the storm could exhaust the $ 800 million left in the federal emergency management agency 's disaster relief fund before the fiscal year ends on september 30 . with conservative house republicans , led by rep. eric cantor , r-virginia , calling for spending cuts to offset any increase in emergency funds -- a measure opposed by many democrats -- the ability of congress to act quickly on the issue remains uncertain . mayor jeffery jones of paterson said he was outraged ' about the funding dispute . mother nature has a mind of her own , a will of her own , and we ca n't have the petty wrangling going on when we have folks in dire need , ' he said . new jersey gov . chris christie echoed those sentiments during a news conference wednesday , saying , we do n't have time to wait for folks in congress to figure out how they want to offset this stuff with the budget cuts . our people are suffering now . and they need support now . ' more than 1.1 million customers remained without electricity thursday from north carolina to maine , the u.s. department of energy said -- a decrease from the 1.7 million reported wednesday . vermont transportation officials made emergency repairs on roads to previously isolated towns , officials said . replacing washed-out bridges will take more time . in wilmington , volunteers from across the state descended on the community to help with the cleanup . i could n't sit at home . i had to come help , ' said sarah boisbert , as she worked outside ranslow 's gutted flooring shop . ranslow was touched by the gesture of so many helping hands . they 're just people , ' she said , pausing . they 're neighbors and in vermont we 're all neighbors . ' cnn 's ed payne , phil gast , amber lyon , nicole saidi and stephanie gallman contributed to this report .	floodwaters wipe out businesses in vermont
vermont <tsp> wilmington , vermont ( cnn ) -- residents of hatteras island , n.c. , can begin going home sunday morning , more than a week after most of them evacuated ahead of hurricane irene . the staged re-entry through tuesday will include the villages of buxton , hatteras and frisco , dare county energency management announced thursday . conditions , utility service and other supporting infrastructure in those villages is the most conducive for re-entry at this time , ' the county said in a statement . as conditions improve in the remaining villages , re-entry will be established and announced as soon as possible . ' visitors will not be able to go to hatteras island . instead , they can stay north of oregon inlet , the county said . about 2,500 residents of the island who did not take part in a mandatory evacuation have been receiving vital supplies and services . the storm washed out a critical stretch of highway 12 , a road that runs parallel to the atlantic ocean and connects hatteras island to the other barrier islands on north carolina 's outer banks . causeways from those barrier islands connect them to north carolina 's mainland . meanwhile , president barack obama declared a disaster in vermont , making federal grants and aid available to those who suffered losses from tropical storm irene . the money can be used by individuals in chittenden , rutland , washington and windsor counties for temporary housing and home repairs , according to the federal emergency management agency . low-cost loans are available to cover uninsured or under-insured property losses . counties eligible for federal funding to do emergency repairs and work are addison , bennington , caledonia , chittenden , essex , franklin , lamoille , orange , orleans , rutland , washington , windham and windsor . the president issued disaster declarations earlier this week in north carolina , new jersey and new york . irene killed 43 people from florida to new england as it marched up the eastern seaboard over the weekend , dumping torrential rain . some of the worst flooding struck vermont , new jersey and upstate new york . ten-foot-high floodwater poured through eileen ranslow 's 40-year-old flooring business in wilmington when irene struck vermont over the weekend . the family business , where revenue has dwindled in the economic downturn , now faces at least $ 300,000 in damage . it 's devastating . it 's devastating , ' ranslow said , her voice cracking . she is not alone , as the effects of irene continue to be felt in flood-ravaged communities along the u.s. east coast . flood advisories remained in place thursday for portions of new york , connecticut , new jersey , virginia and south carolina . in the days since irene , the extent of the damage has become more evident in upstate new york , where the storm battered a cluster of communities 50 miles southwest of albany . there is a lot of damage left to clean up . i know the town of prattsville has been almost completely condemned , ' said jacob hubbell of neighboring margaretville . fleischmanns is n't doing too well either , and main street ( in ) margaretville has been closed . ' it 's safe to say that we probably wo n't be back to normal in the catskills for at least a month . ' in northern new jersey , the passaic river has begun to settle back into its banks , the national weather service said . most locations are expected to drop below flood stage during the weekend as the high water works its way downstream . the development will be welcome news in the towns of wayne , totowa , little falls , paterson and woodland park , where about 1,700 residents were evacuated from their homes this week . obama will travel to paterson on sunday to view the damage , the white house announced . the full extent of irene 's destruction wo n't be known for some time . the federal government estimates that the cost from wind damage alone will exceed $ 1 billion . analysts have put the total expected cost of irene much higher . agriculture secretary tom vilsack said thursday the storm also took a toll on agricultural production . i had an opportunity to take a look at fields in north carolina , ' he said . i have never seen anything like it . the corn was just totally destroyed . tobacco hit hard , cotton hit hard . ' it remains to be seen how some other crops , such as soybeans and tomatoes , fared , he said , but it 's very clear that farmers in north carolina , virginia , along the east coast have suffered pretty significant losses . ' but , he said , it 's unlikely that higher prices will result , as we have such a diverse agriculture in the united states and we have so many acres planted and so many different crops . i do n't think this is going to affect much of anything . ' the federal government 's tab for the storm could exhaust the $ 800 million left in the federal emergency management agency 's disaster relief fund before the fiscal year ends on september 30 . with conservative house republicans , led by rep. eric cantor , r-virginia , calling for spending cuts to offset any increase in emergency funds -- a measure opposed by many democrats -- the ability of congress to act quickly on the issue remains uncertain . mayor jeffery jones of paterson said he was outraged ' about the funding dispute . mother nature has a mind of her own , a will of her own , and we ca n't have the petty wrangling going on when we have folks in dire need , ' he said . new jersey gov . chris christie echoed those sentiments during a news conference wednesday , saying , we do n't have time to wait for folks in congress to figure out how they want to offset this stuff with the budget cuts . our people are suffering now . and they need support now . ' more than 1.1 million customers remained without electricity thursday from north carolina to maine , the u.s. department of energy said -- a decrease from the 1.7 million reported wednesday . vermont transportation officials made emergency repairs on roads to previously isolated towns , officials said . replacing washed-out bridges will take more time . in wilmington , volunteers from across the state descended on the community to help with the cleanup . i could n't sit at home . i had to come help , ' said sarah boisbert , as she worked outside ranslow 's gutted flooring shop . ranslow was touched by the gesture of so many helping hands . they 're just people , ' she said , pausing . they 're neighbors and in vermont we 're all neighbors . ' cnn 's ed payne , phil gast , amber lyon , nicole saidi and stephanie gallman contributed to this report .	president declares disaster in vermont
fujian <tsp> beijing , china ( cnn ) -- a deadly typhoon that slammed into china 's coastal provinces and taiwan over the weekend has displaced nearly one million people and left dozens missing , state-run media reported monday . residents gather to remove a fallen tree blocking a road in changle , china , in fujian province on saturday . high winds and torrential rain of typhoon morakot hit coastal provinces fujian and zhejian hardest , and caused the worst flooding in decades in taiwan -- where flood waters as high as 7 feet were reported , china daily reported . the deadly typhoon swept across the philippines and taiwan 's hualien region before crashing into eastern china , claiming nearly two dozens lives along the way , the newspaper reported . the storm -- measuring about 1,600 kilometers ( about 1,000 miles ) across -- continued to pummel coastal china monday , but forecasters said it is unlikely that morakot would reach shanghai , the country 's largest city , which sits further north along the coast . government officials expect the typhoon to cause more than 8.5 million yuan ( $ 1.2 billion ) in damages , the newspaper said . the storm made landfall in the coastal area of beibi town , xiapu county in fujian province at about 4:20 p.m. sunday ( 0820 gmt ) , according to china 's state-run xinhua news agency . morakot 's winds were clocked at 118 kilometers per hour ( 73 mph ) in its eye , according to the province 's meteorological bureau as cited by xinhua . video from taiwan showed a six-story hotel crashing into the floodwaters coursing below . the well-known hot springs resort had evacuated before the collapse . at least seven people were killed , 32 wounded and 46 unaccounted for , according to taiwan 's central news agency . in china , five houses were destroyed as the front of the typhoon brought flooding rains to wenzhou city in neighboring zhejiang province just after 8 a.m. sunday , xinhua said . three adults and a 4-year-old boy were buried in debris about 8 a.m . rescue workers were unable to save the child , and he died , the city 's flood-control headquarters told the news agency . a red alert ' -- the highest degree in danger levels -- was issued in zhejiang , where more than 35,000 vessels were called back from sea , china daily reported , citing provincial flood control officials . more than 300 homes collapsed , and more than 16,000 hectares ( 39,500 acres ) were flooded , xinhua said . the city 's airport was closed and 56 roads were rendered impassable . as the eye of the storm reached beibi , the sky turned completely dark , and people caught in rainstorms staggered as they used flashlights to see , xinhua reported . trees were being uprooted and torn apart by damaging winds . farmers were attempting to recapture large amounts of fish , flushed from mudflat fish farms by high winds , xinhua said . nearly a million people were evacuated from fujian and zhejiang provinces as morakot approached . late friday , the storm lashed taiwan , killing two people , wounding 15 and knocking off power to about 650,000 households , according to hong kong 's metro radio . meanwhile , another typhoon hit west japan on monday , with 12 people confirmed dead . two others are missing , police said . among the victims of typhoon etau was a 68-year-old woman who died when a landslide caused a hill to collapse on her home in okayama prefecture , police said . in neighboring hyogo prefecture , an 86-year-old woman was found dead in her flooded house and a 54-year-old man in his submerged car . officials expect the number of victims to rise as torrential rains continue . cnn 's yoko wakatsuki contributed to this report	storm made landfall in the coastal area of beibi town in fujian province
fujian <tsp> beijing , china ( cnn ) -- a deadly typhoon that slammed into china 's coastal provinces and taiwan over the weekend has displaced nearly one million people and left dozens missing , state-run media reported monday . residents gather to remove a fallen tree blocking a road in changle , china , in fujian province on saturday . high winds and torrential rain of typhoon morakot hit coastal provinces fujian and zhejian hardest , and caused the worst flooding in decades in taiwan -- where flood waters as high as 7 feet were reported , china daily reported . the deadly typhoon swept across the philippines and taiwan 's hualien region before crashing into eastern china , claiming nearly two dozens lives along the way , the newspaper reported . the storm -- measuring about 1,600 kilometers ( about 1,000 miles ) across -- continued to pummel coastal china monday , but forecasters said it is unlikely that morakot would reach shanghai , the country 's largest city , which sits further north along the coast . government officials expect the typhoon to cause more than 8.5 million yuan ( $ 1.2 billion ) in damages , the newspaper said . the storm made landfall in the coastal area of beibi town , xiapu county in fujian province at about 4:20 p.m. sunday ( 0820 gmt ) , according to china 's state-run xinhua news agency . morakot 's winds were clocked at 118 kilometers per hour ( 73 mph ) in its eye , according to the province 's meteorological bureau as cited by xinhua . video from taiwan showed a six-story hotel crashing into the floodwaters coursing below . the well-known hot springs resort had evacuated before the collapse . at least seven people were killed , 32 wounded and 46 unaccounted for , according to taiwan 's central news agency . in china , five houses were destroyed as the front of the typhoon brought flooding rains to wenzhou city in neighboring zhejiang province just after 8 a.m. sunday , xinhua said . three adults and a 4-year-old boy were buried in debris about 8 a.m . rescue workers were unable to save the child , and he died , the city 's flood-control headquarters told the news agency . a red alert ' -- the highest degree in danger levels -- was issued in zhejiang , where more than 35,000 vessels were called back from sea , china daily reported , citing provincial flood control officials . more than 300 homes collapsed , and more than 16,000 hectares ( 39,500 acres ) were flooded , xinhua said . the city 's airport was closed and 56 roads were rendered impassable . as the eye of the storm reached beibi , the sky turned completely dark , and people caught in rainstorms staggered as they used flashlights to see , xinhua reported . trees were being uprooted and torn apart by damaging winds . farmers were attempting to recapture large amounts of fish , flushed from mudflat fish farms by high winds , xinhua said . nearly a million people were evacuated from fujian and zhejiang provinces as morakot approached . late friday , the storm lashed taiwan , killing two people , wounding 15 and knocking off power to about 650,000 households , according to hong kong 's metro radio . meanwhile , another typhoon hit west japan on monday , with 12 people confirmed dead . two others are missing , police said . among the victims of typhoon etau was a 68-year-old woman who died when a landslide caused a hill to collapse on her home in okayama prefecture , police said . in neighboring hyogo prefecture , an 86-year-old woman was found dead in her flooded house and a 54-year-old man in his submerged car . officials expect the number of victims to rise as torrential rains continue . cnn 's yoko wakatsuki contributed to this report	nearly 1 million people evacuated from fujian and zhejiang provinces
north <tsp> ( cnn ) -- north korea reiterated its call monday for a resumption of six-party talks without preconditions , its state-run news agency reported from pyongyang . the call follows a rare visit to the united states by north korean vice foreign minister kim kae-gwan , who met with senior u.s. officials last week . it was the first direct meeting between north korean and u.s. officials since north korea pulled out of six-party talks in 2008 . in addition to the united states and north korea , the six-party talks involved china , japan , russia and south korea . the goal was nuclear disarmament on the korean peninsula . north korea has called for the resumption of six-party talks without preconditions before . the united states and south korea , however , have insisted on some tangible demonstration that north korea is serious about denuclearization . secretary of state hillary clinton said recently , for example , that the united states hoped to determine in its meetings with the north korean foreign minister whether north korea is ready to take concrete and irreversible steps toward denuclearization . '	the u.s. and south korea want the north to show first that it 's serious about disarmament
north <tsp> ( cnn ) -- north korea reiterated its call monday for a resumption of six-party talks without preconditions , its state-run news agency reported from pyongyang . the call follows a rare visit to the united states by north korean vice foreign minister kim kae-gwan , who met with senior u.s. officials last week . it was the first direct meeting between north korean and u.s. officials since north korea pulled out of six-party talks in 2008 . in addition to the united states and north korea , the six-party talks involved china , japan , russia and south korea . the goal was nuclear disarmament on the korean peninsula . north korea has called for the resumption of six-party talks without preconditions before . the united states and south korea , however , have insisted on some tangible demonstration that north korea is serious about denuclearization . secretary of state hillary clinton said recently , for example , that the united states hoped to determine in its meetings with the north korean foreign minister whether north korea is ready to take concrete and irreversible steps toward denuclearization . '	north korea wants to resume six-party talks on nuclear disarmament
north <tsp> ( cnn ) -- north korea reiterated its call monday for a resumption of six-party talks without preconditions , its state-run news agency reported from pyongyang . the call follows a rare visit to the united states by north korean vice foreign minister kim kae-gwan , who met with senior u.s. officials last week . it was the first direct meeting between north korean and u.s. officials since north korea pulled out of six-party talks in 2008 . in addition to the united states and north korea , the six-party talks involved china , japan , russia and south korea . the goal was nuclear disarmament on the korean peninsula . north korea has called for the resumption of six-party talks without preconditions before . the united states and south korea , however , have insisted on some tangible demonstration that north korea is serious about denuclearization . secretary of state hillary clinton said recently , for example , that the united states hoped to determine in its meetings with the north korean foreign minister whether north korea is ready to take concrete and irreversible steps toward denuclearization . '	a senior north korean official made a rare visit to the united states last week
north <tsp> ( cnn ) -- north korea reiterated its call monday for a resumption of six-party talks without preconditions , its state-run news agency reported from pyongyang . the call follows a rare visit to the united states by north korean vice foreign minister kim kae-gwan , who met with senior u.s. officials last week . it was the first direct meeting between north korean and u.s. officials since north korea pulled out of six-party talks in 2008 . in addition to the united states and north korea , the six-party talks involved china , japan , russia and south korea . the goal was nuclear disarmament on the korean peninsula . north korea has called for the resumption of six-party talks without preconditions before . the united states and south korea , however , have insisted on some tangible demonstration that north korea is serious about denuclearization . secretary of state hillary clinton said recently , for example , that the united states hoped to determine in its meetings with the north korean foreign minister whether north korea is ready to take concrete and irreversible steps toward denuclearization . '	the north wants those talks to resume without preconditions
south korea <tsp> ( cnn ) -- north korea reiterated its call monday for a resumption of six-party talks without preconditions , its state-run news agency reported from pyongyang . the call follows a rare visit to the united states by north korean vice foreign minister kim kae-gwan , who met with senior u.s. officials last week . it was the first direct meeting between north korean and u.s. officials since north korea pulled out of six-party talks in 2008 . in addition to the united states and north korea , the six-party talks involved china , japan , russia and south korea . the goal was nuclear disarmament on the korean peninsula . north korea has called for the resumption of six-party talks without preconditions before . the united states and south korea , however , have insisted on some tangible demonstration that north korea is serious about denuclearization . secretary of state hillary clinton said recently , for example , that the united states hoped to determine in its meetings with the north korean foreign minister whether north korea is ready to take concrete and irreversible steps toward denuclearization . '	the u.s. and south korea want the north to show first that it 's serious about disarmament
pennsylvania <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the tale of brenda heist , the pennsylvania mother who abandoned her two children only to turn up in florida 11 years later , has taken another unlikely turn . on saturday , she remained jailed on a santa rosa county warrant for alleged violation of probation , forgery and giving a false name to law enforcement , said art forgey , a spokesman for the alachua county sheriff 's office . heist , who used the assumed name kelsie lyanne smith , is awaiting extradition , forgey told cnn affiliate wjxt . she turned herself in friday . heist , meanwhile , may not have spent most of those 11 years homeless , as she told police last week when she turned herself in , saying she 'd abandoned her family because of stress . sondra forrester says she knew heist in 2010 . at that time , heist cleaned her florida home and went by the name lovey smith . she actually moved in with me , moved in with me about six months after she started cleaning the house , ' forrester told cnn 's anderson cooper 360 ' on friday . heist first came into her life through a neighbor , who recommended her when forrester was looking for a housekeeper . the neighbor had used her as a babysitter and spoke highly of her , she said . at first , the two women shared small talk , but little more on heist 's weekly visit to clean . but over time their conversations took on a different , more personal tone . she told me that she had a bad relationship with her boyfriend and i started to kind of feel bad for her , ' forrester said . she described it as sort of an abusive situation , saying that he was maybe an alcoholic and i just let her know that my door was always open for her . i felt bad for her . ' forrester asked more questions about heist 's past when she moved into the house , but not a whole lot . but when i did ask , she made it clear that she never had kids and she did n't want any . ' heist also claimed to be a widow . she said she had been married for , like , 20 years to a man named lee and he had worked for the marriott and they had traveled around and visited amazing places and he had died , ' forrester said .'absolutely shocked' after she moved in , bringing some belongings with her , heist lived with her for 10 or 11 months . she used the computer and cell phone , had a facebook page and was on an internet dating site , forrester said . she had friends outside of me . ' heist 's appearance then was nothing like the worn-down face shown in pictures taken after she turned herself in last week to authorities in key largo , florida . i was absolutely shocked when i saw that photo , ' forrester said . she has deteriorated significantly since the last time she was seen around here , which was , you know , the middle of 2012 , the end of 2012 . that 's not been very long , you know , seven months or so . ' another twist in the tale is that heist had revealed her true last name to forrester 's son , with whom she became close while living in the family home . he was around the same age as heist 's own son was when she abandoned her pennsylvania family nearly a decade earlier . forrester had taken her son aside to tell him the truth about the woman he knew as miss lovey , ' so that he would n't learn about it on the news . but he told her he already knew her last name was heist . i was stunned that he knew that . but for a little boy , that 's kind of a cool last name . i said , honey , how did you know that ?'miss lovey told me .' no family reunion but while heist was making friends and living an apparently normal life in florida , the husband , son and daughter she 'd left behind in 2002 continued to wonder whether something terrible had happened to her . police searched for her for years , at one point creating a cold case task force . her family remain angry over the pain her disappearance caused . i do n't think she deserves to see me , ' her 20-year-old daughter morgan heist told cnn 's piers morgan live ' on thursday night . i do n't really have any plans on going to see her . ' the fact that her mother -- who she last saw when she was 8 -- never even called has left her seething , morgan heist said . the anger is captured in a post on the daughter 's twitter page that reads she hopes her mother rots in hell . ' that makes me really mad , ' morgan heist said . i ca n't believe she would do that because she was a good mom . she was great . but , i mean , i guess something happened . something snapped in her. her father , lee heist , said he is not planning on visiting his ex-wife anytime soon . they were going through a divorce at the time she disappeared , and he was treated for a time as a suspect in her disappearance , though he was eventually cleared . in 2010 , he filed a petition with the county court to have brenda declared legally deceased , according to a lititz police news release . he was seeking closure , he said . i do n't see where it would do any good for either of us to see her again , ' lee heist said . he later remarried and said he will learn to forgive his former wife . but for morgan heist , forgiving her mom may not be easy . i hope to eventually forgive her one day for myself , not for her , ' she said . left on a whim brenda heist vanished in february 2002 after last being seen dropping off her children at school . she was applying for housing assistance so that she could get an apartment after the breakdown of her marriage . she worked as a bookkeeper for a car dealer and hoped to receive some financial aid . however , her request was denied , police said . she was very upset , she was sitting in a park crying , thinking about how she would raise her children , feeling sorry for herself , ' said sgt . john schofield , a lititz borough , pennsylvania , police detective . he was one of the many officers who searched for heist . by her account , it was n't long before she was approached by two men and a woman who asked her what was wrong . after she told them what had happened , they invited her to hitchhike with them down to florida . at a whim , she decided at that very moment , she would go along with them , ' schofield said . schofield spoke to heist at length after she turned herself in . she was very emotional ; she hung her head ; she 's ashamed . she was crying when i met with her . she knows what she did was completely wrong , but all that while , she 'd never made one effort to call or contact her family at all , ' schofield said . heist told police she spent the first two years homeless , living under bridges , eating food thrown out by restaurants after they closed . for the next seven years , she lived in a camper with a man she had met . they made money as day laborers , cleaning boats and doing other odd jobs for which they did n't have to show id and were paid in cash . after that relationship soured , schofield said , she said she lived on the street again for another two years . but the revelations made by forrester raise new questions over the truth of heist 's account . i do n't think we know the full story yet , ' schofield told cnn 's anderson cooper 360 ' on friday . the facts are she left , she turned her back on her family . she started a new life down in florida ... whether she lived homeless or whether she lived a wonderful life as a live-in housekeeper , i do n't think that was for the 11 years , that was just for the last few years here . ' schofield said heist is still looking at charges for false ids , thefts and possession of drugs and drugs paraphernalia in florida . there also may be false id and theft charges to face in pennsylvania , he said . she never suspected heist of using drugs , forrester said -- or she would not have allowed her near her family . cnn 's laura ly contributed to this report . watch piers morgan live weeknights 9 p.m . et . for the latest from piers morgan click here .	brenda heist disappeared from her pennsylvania home in 2002
wls <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a chicago commuter train that was parked in a service yard somehow moved onto a rail line and smashed into an oncoming train early monday , injuring dozens of people . how it happened is a mystery . i do n't know the last time , if ever , that this has happened ' on the chicago transit authority system , spokesman brian steele said . there are more questions than answers ' about the incident in forest park , illinois , he said . at least 48 people were injured ; 33 of them were transported to hospitals , forest park mayor anthony calderone told cnn affiliate wls . they are believed to have minor injuries . it was not immediately clear how many passengers were aboard the train . investigators are not characterizing the incident as a runaway train at this point , steele said . a central question : whether anyone had climbed on board the empty train and set it in motion . in order for a train to move , it has to be energized , ' said ronald ester , vice president of cta rail operations . we call it unlocking the master controller , ' he said . the train would have needed to be placed in power position manually . authorities are looking at video feeds from the platforms and from some rail cars . they 're also interviewing workers who were nearby . it 's unknown whether there were criminal activities , steele said . authorities did not immediately find windows broken , doors pried open or graffiti on the train . the train that caused the accident had four cars ; the one with passengers aboard had eight . the incident took place about 8 a.m . train service continued but did not stop at harlem , near the site of the crash . shuttle buses were made available . steele emphasized that the cta has a very strong safety record . ' more on the accident from cnn affiliate wgn	new : 48 people were injured ; 33 taken to hospitals , cnn affiliate wls reported
google <tsp> ( cnn ) -- april fool 's day is a tricky time of year when bizarre but often hilarious headlines and products flood our newspapers , twitter streams and facebook feeds . this year has seen a fantastic plethora of pranks from the likes of google , bmw , twitter and more . but did they manage to trick you ? cnn rounds up some of the best april fools day jokes from 2013 . twitter has announced it will no longer allow the use of vowels in tweets . the social networking service says that by eliminating vowels , they are helping users to a more efficient , and'dense'form of communication . ' they also hope it will increase revenue streams because if you ca n't live in a world without vowels , twttr -- as it has renamed itself -- will allow you to tweet a , e , i , o and u for the small fee of $ 5 a month . read more april fools tech tricks richard branson proudly announced virgin 's latest endeavour -- the world 's first glass-bottomed plane . virgin atlantic 's innovation team has apparently been secretly working on modifying an a320 aircraft which will fly between london and aberdeen . branson said : i am incredibly proud of yet another aviation breakthrough which has been years in the making . i ca n't wait to experience the first flight for myself with my family and other natural born explorers . ' in a story headlined , who needs to tweet when you 've got the roy-owl mail , ' the daily mail reported that an animal sanctuary in the northern england has trained owls to deliver their internal mail in the face of budget cuts and an internal backlog . the sun broke news that the rolling stones spent easter weekend practicing their camping skills ahead of the band headlining the glastonbury festival later this year . the guardian has launched its own augmented reality device , guardian goggles , which will beam its journalism directly into the wearer 's visual field , enabling users to see the world through the guardian 's eyes at all times . ' as well as specially-curated guardian content in real-time , the glasses also feature optional built-in anti-bigotry technology . ' to celebrate the arrival of the duke and duchess of cambridge 's baby this summer , bmw has unveiled their limited edition p.r.a.m ( postnatal royal auto mobile ) . the soft-top convertible features efficientdynamics ' technology and comes with two or four-wheel-drive , air conditioning and extendable flagpoles as standard . ' youtube has announced it will shut down the popular video-sharing website . in a video posted online , youtube ceo salar kamangar says : we started youtube in 2005 as a contest with a simple goal to find the best video in the world . we had no idea we 'd get such a great response . ' all videos that are uploaded before midnight will be reviewed by 30,000 youtube technicians and the winner will be announced in ten years . lastly , google has debut its new odour service , google nose beta . it aims to increase its search engine strength by allowing users to search for smells which are then emitted through their computer screen or mobile device for the sharpest olfactory experience . '	this year google , youtube , twitter and virgin atlantic among companies with april 1 pranks
taiwan <tsp> hong kong ( cnn ) -- on the same day yet another death was reported in china 's bird flu outbreak , the world health organization warned the h7n9 virus was one of the most lethal that doctors and medical investigators had faced in recent years . this is an unusually dangerous virus for humans , ' keiji fukuda , who 's assistant director-general for health , security and the environment told a news conference in beijing wednesday . we think this virus is more easily transmitted from poultry to humans than h5n1 , ' he added , referring to the bird flu outbreak between 2004 and 2007 that claimed 332 lives . this is definitely one of the most lethal influenza viruses that we have seen so far . ' as investigations continue into the possible sources of infection , fukuda warned that authorities were still struggling to understand the virus . the who said china must brace for continued infections . fukuda 's warning came as taiwanese health authorities said they 've confirmed the first human case of h7n9 in taiwan -- one they said was imported from china . a 53-year-old taiwanese man who worked in eastern china was confirmed to have h7n9 on wednesday , the taiwanese centers for disease control said . his condition was described to be severe . he had been traveling back and forth regularly between china 's jingsu province and taiwan , health officials said . according to the case , he had not been exposed to birds and poultry during his stay in suzhou ( in jingsu province ) and had not consumed undercooked poultry or eggs , ' the taiwanese cdc said . taiwanese health officials said they are screening travelers arriving from china for signs of h7n9 . fukuda , meanwhile , said who officials are at the beginning of our understanding of this virus . ' ( the situation remains ) complex , difficult and it is evolving , ' he said . so far there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission , the authorities say . we do want to note , however , that if limited person-to-person transmission is demonstrated in the future , this really will not be surprising , ' fukuda warned , adding that it was critical to remain vigilant , monitoring the virus 's spread and mutation . we are not sure that the clusters were caused by common exposure to a source of the virus or were due to limited person-to-person transmission , ' he said . moreover we have not seen sustained person-to-person transmission . ' while some elements of the outbreak have baffled investigators -- specifically why the virus tends to target an elderly demographic and the fact that it is asymptomatic or mild in some cases and lethal in others -- authorities have claimed some significant victories in the fight against a pandemic . anne kelso , the director of a who-collaborating research center , said researchers had seen a dramatic slowdown ' in human cases in shanghai after the city 's live poultry market was shut on april 6 . describing the finding as very encouraging , ' she said evidence suggests the closure of live poultry markets is an effective way to stop the spread of the virus . the joint inspection team from china 's national health and family planning commission and the world health organization also found that , so far , no migratory birds have tested positive for the virus , taking another worrying route of transmission out of the equation . it said the h7n9 virus is only being found in chickens , ducks and pigeons at live poultry markets . who officials said there are already efforts underway in other countries to develop a vaccine after chinese officials admitted international help would be needed with this . meanwhile , the national health and family planning commission said in its daily update on h7n9 cases that a total of 109 h7n9 cases have been reported within mainland china , including 23 deaths . most cases have been confined to shanghai and neighboring provinces in eastern china . cnn 's ivan watson and feng ke in beijing contributed to this report .	new : first h7n9 bird flu case in taiwan has been reported , health officials say
taiwan <tsp> hong kong ( cnn ) -- on the same day yet another death was reported in china 's bird flu outbreak , the world health organization warned the h7n9 virus was one of the most lethal that doctors and medical investigators had faced in recent years . this is an unusually dangerous virus for humans , ' keiji fukuda , who 's assistant director-general for health , security and the environment told a news conference in beijing wednesday . we think this virus is more easily transmitted from poultry to humans than h5n1 , ' he added , referring to the bird flu outbreak between 2004 and 2007 that claimed 332 lives . this is definitely one of the most lethal influenza viruses that we have seen so far . ' as investigations continue into the possible sources of infection , fukuda warned that authorities were still struggling to understand the virus . the who said china must brace for continued infections . fukuda 's warning came as taiwanese health authorities said they 've confirmed the first human case of h7n9 in taiwan -- one they said was imported from china . a 53-year-old taiwanese man who worked in eastern china was confirmed to have h7n9 on wednesday , the taiwanese centers for disease control said . his condition was described to be severe . he had been traveling back and forth regularly between china 's jingsu province and taiwan , health officials said . according to the case , he had not been exposed to birds and poultry during his stay in suzhou ( in jingsu province ) and had not consumed undercooked poultry or eggs , ' the taiwanese cdc said . taiwanese health officials said they are screening travelers arriving from china for signs of h7n9 . fukuda , meanwhile , said who officials are at the beginning of our understanding of this virus . ' ( the situation remains ) complex , difficult and it is evolving , ' he said . so far there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission , the authorities say . we do want to note , however , that if limited person-to-person transmission is demonstrated in the future , this really will not be surprising , ' fukuda warned , adding that it was critical to remain vigilant , monitoring the virus 's spread and mutation . we are not sure that the clusters were caused by common exposure to a source of the virus or were due to limited person-to-person transmission , ' he said . moreover we have not seen sustained person-to-person transmission . ' while some elements of the outbreak have baffled investigators -- specifically why the virus tends to target an elderly demographic and the fact that it is asymptomatic or mild in some cases and lethal in others -- authorities have claimed some significant victories in the fight against a pandemic . anne kelso , the director of a who-collaborating research center , said researchers had seen a dramatic slowdown ' in human cases in shanghai after the city 's live poultry market was shut on april 6 . describing the finding as very encouraging , ' she said evidence suggests the closure of live poultry markets is an effective way to stop the spread of the virus . the joint inspection team from china 's national health and family planning commission and the world health organization also found that , so far , no migratory birds have tested positive for the virus , taking another worrying route of transmission out of the equation . it said the h7n9 virus is only being found in chickens , ducks and pigeons at live poultry markets . who officials said there are already efforts underway in other countries to develop a vaccine after chinese officials admitted international help would be needed with this . meanwhile , the national health and family planning commission said in its daily update on h7n9 cases that a total of 109 h7n9 cases have been reported within mainland china , including 23 deaths . most cases have been confined to shanghai and neighboring provinces in eastern china . cnn 's ivan watson and feng ke in beijing contributed to this report .	death toll from china 's bird flu outbreak 23 , with 110 infections -- includes one in taiwan
nsa <tsp> on friday president obama will address the nation about the nsa 's controversial surveillance programs . he is expected to announce some substantive changes to those programs which collect data about the phone calls of every american . after the first leaks by former nsa contractor edward snowden were published in june , obama defended the nsa 's surveillance programs during a visit to berlin , saying : we know of at least 50 threats that have been averted because of this information not just in the united states , but , in some cases , threats here in germany . so lives have been saved . ' similarly , gen. keith alexander , the director of the nsa , testified before congress that the information gathered from these programs provided the u.s. government with critical leads to help prevent over 50 potential terrorist events in more than 20 countries around the world . ' rep. mike rogers , r-michigan , chairman of the house permanent select committee on intelligence , said on the house floor in july that 54 times the nsa programs stopped and thwarted terrorist attacks both here and in europe -- saving real lives . ' however , a new america foundation review of the government 's claims about the role that nsa bulk ' surveillance of phone and e-mail communications records has had in keeping the united states safe from terrorism found that these claims are overblown and even misleading . an in-depth analysis of 225 individuals recruited by al qaeda or a like-minded group , or inspired by al qaeda ideology , and charged in the united states with an act of terrorism since 9/11 , demonstrated that traditional investigative methods , such as the use of informants , tips from local communities , and targeted intelligence operations , provided the initial impetus for investigations in the majority of cases , while the contribution of nsa 's bulk surveillance programs to these cases was minimal . ( click on the link to go to a database of all these 225 individuals and additional details about them and the government 's investigations of these cases . ) the controversial bulk collection of american telephone metadata , which includes the telephone numbers that originate and receive calls , as well as the time of those calls but not their content , under section 215 of the patriot act , appears to have played an identifiable role in , at most , 1.8 % of these cases . this finding corrobrated that of the obama-appointed white house review group who had access to classified materials that concluded in december that section 215 telephony meta-data was not essential to preventing attacks . ' our study also found that nsa programs involving the surveillance of non-u.s. persons outside of the united states under section 702 of the fisa amendments act played a role in 4.4 percent of the terrorism cases we examined , and nsa surveillance under an unidentified authority played a role in 1.3 percent of cases we examined . in 27 percent of the cases we reviewed , court records and public reporting do not identify which specific methods initiated the investigation . these cases , involving 62 individuals , may have been initiated by an undercover informant , an undercover officer , a family member tip , other traditional law enforcement methods , cia- or fbi-generated intelligence , nsa surveillance of some kind , or any number of other methods . furthermore , our examination of the role of the database of u.s. citizens'telephone metadata in the single plot the government uses to justify the importance of the program -- that of basaaly moalin , a san diego cabdriver who in 2007 and 2008 provided $ 8,500 to al-shabaab , al qaeda 's affiliate in somalia -- calls into question the necessity of the section 215 bulk collection program . according to the government , the database of american phone metadata allows intelligence authorities to quickly circumvent the traditional burden of proof associated with criminal warrants , thus allowing them to connect the dots ' faster and prevent future 9/11-scale attacks . yet in the moalin case , after using the nsa 's phone database to link a number in somalia to moalin , the fbi waited two months to begin an investigation and wiretap his phone . this undercuts the government 's theory that the database of americans'telephone metadata is necessary to expedite the investigative process , since it clearly did n't expedite the process in the single case the government uses to extol its virtues . in sum , the surveillance of american phone metadata has had no discernible impact on preventing acts of terrorism and only the most marginal of impacts on preventing terrorist-related activity , such as fundraising for a terrorist group . given that , what should the obama administration do about the nsa 's phone data collection program , which keeps the phone data of all americans for five years ? president obama has a number of potential choices . the first is to continue the program as is . another is to give the phone collection program to some kind of private third party entity , and another is to mandate that the phone companies keep the data . there are problems with all these approaches . the status quo is open to legal challenges . judge richard j. leon of the district of columbia ruled in december that the program likely violates the constitution . another federal judge , in new york , ruled in favor of the program a week later , so its legal fate might have to be determined by higher courts . giving the data collection program to some kind of government-nominated private third party will likely be seen as just another way for the government to store the data . and the phone companies do n't want the costs and headaches of storing five years of data . there is another approach that should be considered , which is to abandon the bulk phone data collection program entirely and go back to the tried and true approach of having the government get a court order to look at a suspect 's phone records , rather than leaving that decision to the discretion of a group of anonymous officials at nsa , as is now the case . this hardly seems onerous . after all , since 1979 judges have only turned down 0.3 % of the requests they have received for warrants involving cases of suspected espionage or terrorism . but such a move would assure americans that there was some sort of due process going on whenever their phone records are examined by the government . and this seems closer to the spirit of the fourth amendment , which guards against unreasonable searches , ' than does the present system . thanks to david sterman and emily schneider for their research help .	president obama is giving a speech about nsa surveillance friday
pyongyang <tsp> bangkok , thailand ( cnn ) -- north korea launched a scathing personal attack on u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton on thursday after she likened the leadership in pyongyang to small children and unruly teenagers and people who are demanding attention . ' hillary clinton says n. korea 's refusal to discuss nuclear program could provoke arms race . at a meeting of southeast asian nations in phuket , thailand , a north korean foreign ministry spokesman blasted clinton for what he called a spate of vulgar remarks unbecoming for her position everywhere she went since she was sworn in , ' according to the state-run kcna news agency . the spokesman called clinton by no means intelligent ' and a funny lady . ' sometimes she looks like a primary schoolgirl and sometimes a pensioner going shopping , ' the statement said . read other colorful insults by n. korea the verbal tussle between the two countries culminated with the reclusive communist state making it clear that six-party nuclear talks , stalled for over a year , were effectively finished . clinton had earlier warned that north korea 's refusal to discuss its nuclear program could escalate tensions and provoke an arms race in northeast asia . watch as north korea insults clinton » ' i was gratified by how many countries from throughout the region spoke up and expressed directly to the north korea delegation their concerns over the provocative behavior we have seen over the last few months , ' clinton said at a meeting of southeast asian nations in phuket , thailand . unfortunately , the north korean delegation offered only an insistent refusal to recognize that north korea has been on the wrong course , ' she said . they expressed no willingness to pursue the path of denuclearization . in their presentation today , they evinced no willingness to pursue the path of denuclearization , and that was troubling not only to the united states , but to the region and the international community . ' her remarks came after the north koreans issued their blunt statement in response to clinton 's interview earlier in the week with abc news . before clinton 's remarks in phuket on thursday , the north korean delegation attempted to take the podium to speak to the media . but it was turned away by security guards . north korea tested a nuclear device in may and fired seven ballistic missiles earlier this month in defiance of a u.n. resolution . at the association of southeast asian nations meeting , clinton said she had unanimous support for u.n . resolution 1874 , passed by the security council in june . it tightened sanctions on north korea , imposing an embargo on the shipment of arms from that nation . the north protested the resolution by saying it would enrich uranium and weaponize plutonium , according to kcna . when enriched to a high degree , uranium can be used as weapons-grade material . plutonium can be used in atomic bombs . clinton said the united states will continue to push north korea to come to the table . she said a full normalization of relationships ' was possible if north korea agreed to a verifiable dismantling of its nuclear program . the united states and its allies and partners can not accept a north korea that tries to maintain nuclear weapons , to launch ballistic missiles or to proliferate nuclear materials , ' clinton said . we are committed to the verifiable denuclearization of the korean peninsula in a peaceful manner . ' the united states has also expressed concern that military cooperation between north korea and myanmar could destabilize the region . cnn 's dan rivers contributed to this report from bangkok , thailand .	she had earlier likened leadership in pyongyang to small children '
elvis presley <tsp> ( cnn ) -- michael jackson 's bizarre private life and change in appearance ended up eclipsing his musical achievements , according to the world 's media . a los angeles fire official told cnn that paramedics arrived at michael jackson 's home after a 911 call . jackson 's death from cardiac arrest thursday has sparked an outpouring of grief from fans , and his life has been given a more measured summing up by news media . britain 's guardian newspaper said his bizarre life-style and personal notoriety eclipsed his talent and his numerous achievements . ' the guardian said his fame , from the age of 11 , had such a damaging effect that his life was permanently affected . ' watch why jackson is as big as it gets ' » ' a combination of dysfunctional family and invasive fame ate away at the essentially private singer , whose initially minor eccentricities escalated into grotesque changes to his appearance and lifestyle . if ever there was an illustration of the adage that celebrity destroys what it touches , jackson was it , ' the guardian said . daily mail agreed , saying jackson courted controversy and acclaim in equal measure . ' watch jesse jackson share memories » ' it was the tales of oxygen chambers , chimp chums , shopping sprees and physical transformation that have brought intrigue and amusement and earned the singer the nickname wacko jacko . ' the mail said star 's behavior drew increasing alarm following a documentary in which he pronounced sharing a bedroom with a child to be'charming'and an incident in germany in which he dangled his baby son prince michael ii over a balcony . ' the country 's times newspaper said only a handful of performers -- ( elvis ) presley , ( frank ) sinatra , the beatles -- could outrank michael jackson as the most successful popular music entertainer of all time . ' however , as he approached middle-age , it was jackson 's abiding interest in children which was his undoing . ' ireport.com : your michael jackson tributes australia 's sydney morning herald newspaper also compared jackson to presley . just as presley was the iconic voice and presence of the 1950s so jackson enjoyed a similar status during 1980s and 1990s . and just as presley , driven by the strange demons that seem to haunt the super-famous , died before his time so jackson has died , aged 50 , in los angeles after suffering cardiac arrest . ' france 's liberation newspaper described jackson as the total artist , ' but said his physical transformation and way of life brought controversy . le monde said jackson was one of the most famous singers of the 20th century but his image was tarnished by his private life . kingston : jackson a legend ' » germany 's bild tabloid agreed , saying jackson 's private antics had seem him dethroned ' as the king of pop . china 's people 's daily newspaper said jackson had set the world dancing to exuberant rhythms for decades . ' jackson 's dramatic stage presence and innovative dance moves were imitated by legions of fans around the world . sharpton : jackson was a trailblazer ' » ' his one-gloved eccentric style also earned him plenty of critics and another nickname , wacko jacko . ' thailand 's bangkok post newspaper said : while jackson ruled the charts and dazzled audiences with electric dance moves like the backwards moonwalk ' in the 1980s , his once-stellar career was overshadowed by his colorful public behavior , his startling physical transformation and multiple allegations of child abuse . '	jackson compared to elvis presley and frank sinatra
buchanan <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- republican rep. vern buchanan , a self-made florida millionaire , is only in his third term in congress , but he already is in charge of fundraising for the republican congressional campaign committee , and he sits on the powerful house ways and means committee . but all that could be jeopardized . federal investigations underway could result in buchanan serving his next term behind bars . cnn has confirmed there are no fewer than four congressional and federal investigations into buchanan 's business practices , his campaign finances and his alleged attempt to try to stop a witness from talking . congress : same hours , half the work now that witness is stepping forward in an exclusive interview with cnn . buchanan 's former business partner says the congressman schemed to launder money from his car dealerships into his campaign coffers , and then tried to get others to cover it up . many of the questions surrounding buchanan go back to his auto dealerships in florida where he made his millions , and back to the days when he worked with his former business partner sam kazran . their partnership started at what is now a weed-filled lot , the former north jacksonville hyundai dealership . eventually they owned four dealerships together . i respected him , ' kazran says of their early years together . i believed him . ' but kazran says he was naive , and that he soon found out the man he believed in was interested in only two things : money and power . mr. buchanan is a very selfish person , and in my opinion people who go to congress have got to do good for the people they represent , ' kazran says . kazran presented to cnn the same information , documents and testimony he has given to federal investigators . the two men had a falling out over their finances , and they 've been suing each other for years . buchanan says kazran is a disgruntled partner and has lied about what happened . at the center of kazran 's allegations is a cash swap scheme used to finance some of buchanan 's campaigns . he says employees were forced to write checks , then were reimbursed with cash drawn from buchanan 's car dealerships . it was to a point where i said ,'chief , we ca n't give you this kind of money . at which point he said ,'just run it through the corporation ,'' kazran said . what he said to me was'get people to write a check to the campaign and then pay them back through the corporation .'' kazran did , and he was soon calling in managers , salesman , even assistants . people who never gave money to campaigns were suddenly writing big checks to buchanan for congress and , according to kazran , getting reimbursed from the dealership . it added up to almost $ 70,000 at kazran 's dealership alone , he said . senate close to deal to extend low interest rates on student loans ' i remember one of the partners jokingly saying ,'boss , you have all the money in the world . why do you want us to pay you the money ?'and he said ,'well , it does n't look good if it 's coming from me .'' kazran took his detailed allegations to the federal elections commission , which was already looking into buchanan 's campaign finances . investigators there wanted to know not only about how the cash-swap scheme was set up , but if the congressman knew about it . kazran says there is no question the congressman knew all about it . the fec 's initial report found reason to believe ' that buchanan knowingly and willfully violated ' federal election laws . read the initial fec report ( pdf ) . but in a later report the fec pulled back , saying it found credibility problems with both kazran and buchanan and not enough corroborating evidence to back up kazran 's testimony . the fec then dropped the investigation into buchanan , stating , while there is some other evidence in the record that is consistent with kazran 's general allegations , other evidence supports buchanan 's denials or is ambiguous . ' read the fec report ( pdf ) . the fec eventually fined kazran $ 5,000 in a settlement because he admitted reimbursing employees for campaign contributions . kazran has never disputed his involvement , but he says he did it because buchanan told him to . while the congressman has said the later fec report proves he 's innocent , the findings at the fec were more convoluted , stating it came close to supporting a finding that it is more likely than not ' that buchanan violated the law . and that 's where things get much more serious for the congressman . during the fec probe , buchanan pushed to settle a lawsuit kazran had brought against him . at the last minute , with a $ 2.9 million settlement offer from buchanan dangling in front of him , kazran says he was given an affidavit to sign . according to kazran , the congressman and his attorneys were asking him to sign a statement that was a lie , that buchanan knew nothing about the campaign cash swap . kazran says buchanan and his team were trying to force him to lie about buchanan 's role in the campaign cash scheme in exchange for the nearly $ 3 million cash settlement , money which kazran says he desperately needed , as his finances were in trouble and his wife was suffering from cancer and was undergoing expensive medical treatments . a lot of the language of it was really to distance himself ... , ' said kazran . in short it said that mr. buchanan had nothing to do with it . ' kazran 's lawyer , robert stok , says it was clearly an effort to lean on kazran when he was vulnerable . he was holding the settlement in escrow , ' stok says . he basically said ,'we can settle , but there 's one little thing remaining . all you have to do is sign this affidavit . we release the settlement and everything will be rosy for you .'' kazran refused to sign and took the affidavit to federal investigators . now , cnn has learned that buchanan is being investigated for attempting to tamper with a witness in a federal investigation . after cnn 's repeated requests for interviews were ignored , cnn decided to find buchanan as he emerged from a hearing . buchanan would not respond fully to any questions and quickly walked away from cnn 's camera . when asked if he tried to get kazran to sign the affidavit , buchanan responded no , no , no , no . no i did n't , ' adding that he needed to get to another meeting , and that cnn should contact his office . when asked if he used the affidavit to hold up the $ 3 million settlement with kazran , buchanan replied : no . ' in a recent report , released quietly several weeks ago , the office of congressional ethics wrote : ' there is substantial reason to believe that buchanan attempted to influence the testimony of a witness in a proceeding before the fec in violation ' of federal law and house ethics code . read the oce 's report on the affidavit ( pdf ) . now a full house ethics committee is looking into it . cnn has also learned that the fbi is conducting its own investigation . in addition , the office of congressional ethics also found substantial reason to believe ' that buchanan failed to disclose unearned income on his financial disclosure forms from 2007 to 2010 . read the report ( pdf ) . salvatore rosa , a former chief financial officer for buchanan 's business interests for five years , said in a recent deposition conducted by buchanan 's attorney that he submitted a federal whistle-blower complaint to the irs with allegations that buchanan violated federal tax laws , including tax evasion , fraud and conspiracy to commit tax evasion . in the deposition , buchanan 's attorneys asked rosa if he stood to gain a financial windfall ' by filing the complaint . rosa said potentially . ' the deposition did not provide details of the alleged violations of tax law . rosa declined an interview with cnn . buchanan 's office responded to cnn 's interview request with a statement saying the charges are politically motivated , ' that the congressman did nothing wrong , and we are confident that the justice department and house ethics committee will reach the same conclusion . ' on friday , lawyers for buchanan filed a legal motion in sarasota , florida , to seal all documents in the kazran case and to stop kazran and his lawyers from speaking publicly about it . buchanan 's lawyers said news stories about the congressman are publicly disparaging ' his character . stok said : as an american citizen , both congressman buchanan and i have the fundamental right of free speech . ... mr. buchanan 's motion is yet another in a series of frivolous efforts to attempt to shut down the case ... and to conceal his wrongdoing behind a shroud of secrecy . ' cnn 's nicole boucher contributed to this report . watch anderson cooper 360° weeknights 10pm et . for the latest from ac360° click here .	ex-business partner : buchanan used cash-swap scheme to finance his campaigns
buchanan <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- republican rep. vern buchanan , a self-made florida millionaire , is only in his third term in congress , but he already is in charge of fundraising for the republican congressional campaign committee , and he sits on the powerful house ways and means committee . but all that could be jeopardized . federal investigations underway could result in buchanan serving his next term behind bars . cnn has confirmed there are no fewer than four congressional and federal investigations into buchanan 's business practices , his campaign finances and his alleged attempt to try to stop a witness from talking . congress : same hours , half the work now that witness is stepping forward in an exclusive interview with cnn . buchanan 's former business partner says the congressman schemed to launder money from his car dealerships into his campaign coffers , and then tried to get others to cover it up . many of the questions surrounding buchanan go back to his auto dealerships in florida where he made his millions , and back to the days when he worked with his former business partner sam kazran . their partnership started at what is now a weed-filled lot , the former north jacksonville hyundai dealership . eventually they owned four dealerships together . i respected him , ' kazran says of their early years together . i believed him . ' but kazran says he was naive , and that he soon found out the man he believed in was interested in only two things : money and power . mr. buchanan is a very selfish person , and in my opinion people who go to congress have got to do good for the people they represent , ' kazran says . kazran presented to cnn the same information , documents and testimony he has given to federal investigators . the two men had a falling out over their finances , and they 've been suing each other for years . buchanan says kazran is a disgruntled partner and has lied about what happened . at the center of kazran 's allegations is a cash swap scheme used to finance some of buchanan 's campaigns . he says employees were forced to write checks , then were reimbursed with cash drawn from buchanan 's car dealerships . it was to a point where i said ,'chief , we ca n't give you this kind of money . at which point he said ,'just run it through the corporation ,'' kazran said . what he said to me was'get people to write a check to the campaign and then pay them back through the corporation .'' kazran did , and he was soon calling in managers , salesman , even assistants . people who never gave money to campaigns were suddenly writing big checks to buchanan for congress and , according to kazran , getting reimbursed from the dealership . it added up to almost $ 70,000 at kazran 's dealership alone , he said . senate close to deal to extend low interest rates on student loans ' i remember one of the partners jokingly saying ,'boss , you have all the money in the world . why do you want us to pay you the money ?'and he said ,'well , it does n't look good if it 's coming from me .'' kazran took his detailed allegations to the federal elections commission , which was already looking into buchanan 's campaign finances . investigators there wanted to know not only about how the cash-swap scheme was set up , but if the congressman knew about it . kazran says there is no question the congressman knew all about it . the fec 's initial report found reason to believe ' that buchanan knowingly and willfully violated ' federal election laws . read the initial fec report ( pdf ) . but in a later report the fec pulled back , saying it found credibility problems with both kazran and buchanan and not enough corroborating evidence to back up kazran 's testimony . the fec then dropped the investigation into buchanan , stating , while there is some other evidence in the record that is consistent with kazran 's general allegations , other evidence supports buchanan 's denials or is ambiguous . ' read the fec report ( pdf ) . the fec eventually fined kazran $ 5,000 in a settlement because he admitted reimbursing employees for campaign contributions . kazran has never disputed his involvement , but he says he did it because buchanan told him to . while the congressman has said the later fec report proves he 's innocent , the findings at the fec were more convoluted , stating it came close to supporting a finding that it is more likely than not ' that buchanan violated the law . and that 's where things get much more serious for the congressman . during the fec probe , buchanan pushed to settle a lawsuit kazran had brought against him . at the last minute , with a $ 2.9 million settlement offer from buchanan dangling in front of him , kazran says he was given an affidavit to sign . according to kazran , the congressman and his attorneys were asking him to sign a statement that was a lie , that buchanan knew nothing about the campaign cash swap . kazran says buchanan and his team were trying to force him to lie about buchanan 's role in the campaign cash scheme in exchange for the nearly $ 3 million cash settlement , money which kazran says he desperately needed , as his finances were in trouble and his wife was suffering from cancer and was undergoing expensive medical treatments . a lot of the language of it was really to distance himself ... , ' said kazran . in short it said that mr. buchanan had nothing to do with it . ' kazran 's lawyer , robert stok , says it was clearly an effort to lean on kazran when he was vulnerable . he was holding the settlement in escrow , ' stok says . he basically said ,'we can settle , but there 's one little thing remaining . all you have to do is sign this affidavit . we release the settlement and everything will be rosy for you .'' kazran refused to sign and took the affidavit to federal investigators . now , cnn has learned that buchanan is being investigated for attempting to tamper with a witness in a federal investigation . after cnn 's repeated requests for interviews were ignored , cnn decided to find buchanan as he emerged from a hearing . buchanan would not respond fully to any questions and quickly walked away from cnn 's camera . when asked if he tried to get kazran to sign the affidavit , buchanan responded no , no , no , no . no i did n't , ' adding that he needed to get to another meeting , and that cnn should contact his office . when asked if he used the affidavit to hold up the $ 3 million settlement with kazran , buchanan replied : no . ' in a recent report , released quietly several weeks ago , the office of congressional ethics wrote : ' there is substantial reason to believe that buchanan attempted to influence the testimony of a witness in a proceeding before the fec in violation ' of federal law and house ethics code . read the oce 's report on the affidavit ( pdf ) . now a full house ethics committee is looking into it . cnn has also learned that the fbi is conducting its own investigation . in addition , the office of congressional ethics also found substantial reason to believe ' that buchanan failed to disclose unearned income on his financial disclosure forms from 2007 to 2010 . read the report ( pdf ) . salvatore rosa , a former chief financial officer for buchanan 's business interests for five years , said in a recent deposition conducted by buchanan 's attorney that he submitted a federal whistle-blower complaint to the irs with allegations that buchanan violated federal tax laws , including tax evasion , fraud and conspiracy to commit tax evasion . in the deposition , buchanan 's attorneys asked rosa if he stood to gain a financial windfall ' by filing the complaint . rosa said potentially . ' the deposition did not provide details of the alleged violations of tax law . rosa declined an interview with cnn . buchanan 's office responded to cnn 's interview request with a statement saying the charges are politically motivated , ' that the congressman did nothing wrong , and we are confident that the justice department and house ethics committee will reach the same conclusion . ' on friday , lawyers for buchanan filed a legal motion in sarasota , florida , to seal all documents in the kazran case and to stop kazran and his lawyers from speaking publicly about it . buchanan 's lawyers said news stories about the congressman are publicly disparaging ' his character . stok said : as an american citizen , both congressman buchanan and i have the fundamental right of free speech . ... mr. buchanan 's motion is yet another in a series of frivolous efforts to attempt to shut down the case ... and to conceal his wrongdoing behind a shroud of secrecy . ' cnn 's nicole boucher contributed to this report . watch anderson cooper 360° weeknights 10pm et . for the latest from ac360° click here .	fec initial report finds reason to believe ' buchanan violated election laws
buchanan <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- republican rep. vern buchanan , a self-made florida millionaire , is only in his third term in congress , but he already is in charge of fundraising for the republican congressional campaign committee , and he sits on the powerful house ways and means committee . but all that could be jeopardized . federal investigations underway could result in buchanan serving his next term behind bars . cnn has confirmed there are no fewer than four congressional and federal investigations into buchanan 's business practices , his campaign finances and his alleged attempt to try to stop a witness from talking . congress : same hours , half the work now that witness is stepping forward in an exclusive interview with cnn . buchanan 's former business partner says the congressman schemed to launder money from his car dealerships into his campaign coffers , and then tried to get others to cover it up . many of the questions surrounding buchanan go back to his auto dealerships in florida where he made his millions , and back to the days when he worked with his former business partner sam kazran . their partnership started at what is now a weed-filled lot , the former north jacksonville hyundai dealership . eventually they owned four dealerships together . i respected him , ' kazran says of their early years together . i believed him . ' but kazran says he was naive , and that he soon found out the man he believed in was interested in only two things : money and power . mr. buchanan is a very selfish person , and in my opinion people who go to congress have got to do good for the people they represent , ' kazran says . kazran presented to cnn the same information , documents and testimony he has given to federal investigators . the two men had a falling out over their finances , and they 've been suing each other for years . buchanan says kazran is a disgruntled partner and has lied about what happened . at the center of kazran 's allegations is a cash swap scheme used to finance some of buchanan 's campaigns . he says employees were forced to write checks , then were reimbursed with cash drawn from buchanan 's car dealerships . it was to a point where i said ,'chief , we ca n't give you this kind of money . at which point he said ,'just run it through the corporation ,'' kazran said . what he said to me was'get people to write a check to the campaign and then pay them back through the corporation .'' kazran did , and he was soon calling in managers , salesman , even assistants . people who never gave money to campaigns were suddenly writing big checks to buchanan for congress and , according to kazran , getting reimbursed from the dealership . it added up to almost $ 70,000 at kazran 's dealership alone , he said . senate close to deal to extend low interest rates on student loans ' i remember one of the partners jokingly saying ,'boss , you have all the money in the world . why do you want us to pay you the money ?'and he said ,'well , it does n't look good if it 's coming from me .'' kazran took his detailed allegations to the federal elections commission , which was already looking into buchanan 's campaign finances . investigators there wanted to know not only about how the cash-swap scheme was set up , but if the congressman knew about it . kazran says there is no question the congressman knew all about it . the fec 's initial report found reason to believe ' that buchanan knowingly and willfully violated ' federal election laws . read the initial fec report ( pdf ) . but in a later report the fec pulled back , saying it found credibility problems with both kazran and buchanan and not enough corroborating evidence to back up kazran 's testimony . the fec then dropped the investigation into buchanan , stating , while there is some other evidence in the record that is consistent with kazran 's general allegations , other evidence supports buchanan 's denials or is ambiguous . ' read the fec report ( pdf ) . the fec eventually fined kazran $ 5,000 in a settlement because he admitted reimbursing employees for campaign contributions . kazran has never disputed his involvement , but he says he did it because buchanan told him to . while the congressman has said the later fec report proves he 's innocent , the findings at the fec were more convoluted , stating it came close to supporting a finding that it is more likely than not ' that buchanan violated the law . and that 's where things get much more serious for the congressman . during the fec probe , buchanan pushed to settle a lawsuit kazran had brought against him . at the last minute , with a $ 2.9 million settlement offer from buchanan dangling in front of him , kazran says he was given an affidavit to sign . according to kazran , the congressman and his attorneys were asking him to sign a statement that was a lie , that buchanan knew nothing about the campaign cash swap . kazran says buchanan and his team were trying to force him to lie about buchanan 's role in the campaign cash scheme in exchange for the nearly $ 3 million cash settlement , money which kazran says he desperately needed , as his finances were in trouble and his wife was suffering from cancer and was undergoing expensive medical treatments . a lot of the language of it was really to distance himself ... , ' said kazran . in short it said that mr. buchanan had nothing to do with it . ' kazran 's lawyer , robert stok , says it was clearly an effort to lean on kazran when he was vulnerable . he was holding the settlement in escrow , ' stok says . he basically said ,'we can settle , but there 's one little thing remaining . all you have to do is sign this affidavit . we release the settlement and everything will be rosy for you .'' kazran refused to sign and took the affidavit to federal investigators . now , cnn has learned that buchanan is being investigated for attempting to tamper with a witness in a federal investigation . after cnn 's repeated requests for interviews were ignored , cnn decided to find buchanan as he emerged from a hearing . buchanan would not respond fully to any questions and quickly walked away from cnn 's camera . when asked if he tried to get kazran to sign the affidavit , buchanan responded no , no , no , no . no i did n't , ' adding that he needed to get to another meeting , and that cnn should contact his office . when asked if he used the affidavit to hold up the $ 3 million settlement with kazran , buchanan replied : no . ' in a recent report , released quietly several weeks ago , the office of congressional ethics wrote : ' there is substantial reason to believe that buchanan attempted to influence the testimony of a witness in a proceeding before the fec in violation ' of federal law and house ethics code . read the oce 's report on the affidavit ( pdf ) . now a full house ethics committee is looking into it . cnn has also learned that the fbi is conducting its own investigation . in addition , the office of congressional ethics also found substantial reason to believe ' that buchanan failed to disclose unearned income on his financial disclosure forms from 2007 to 2010 . read the report ( pdf ) . salvatore rosa , a former chief financial officer for buchanan 's business interests for five years , said in a recent deposition conducted by buchanan 's attorney that he submitted a federal whistle-blower complaint to the irs with allegations that buchanan violated federal tax laws , including tax evasion , fraud and conspiracy to commit tax evasion . in the deposition , buchanan 's attorneys asked rosa if he stood to gain a financial windfall ' by filing the complaint . rosa said potentially . ' the deposition did not provide details of the alleged violations of tax law . rosa declined an interview with cnn . buchanan 's office responded to cnn 's interview request with a statement saying the charges are politically motivated , ' that the congressman did nothing wrong , and we are confident that the justice department and house ethics committee will reach the same conclusion . ' on friday , lawyers for buchanan filed a legal motion in sarasota , florida , to seal all documents in the kazran case and to stop kazran and his lawyers from speaking publicly about it . buchanan 's lawyers said news stories about the congressman are publicly disparaging ' his character . stok said : as an american citizen , both congressman buchanan and i have the fundamental right of free speech . ... mr. buchanan 's motion is yet another in a series of frivolous efforts to attempt to shut down the case ... and to conceal his wrongdoing behind a shroud of secrecy . ' cnn 's nicole boucher contributed to this report . watch anderson cooper 360° weeknights 10pm et . for the latest from ac360° click here .	four probes looking at various allegations against rep. vern buchanan , r-florida
buchanan <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- republican rep. vern buchanan , a self-made florida millionaire , is only in his third term in congress , but he already is in charge of fundraising for the republican congressional campaign committee , and he sits on the powerful house ways and means committee . but all that could be jeopardized . federal investigations underway could result in buchanan serving his next term behind bars . cnn has confirmed there are no fewer than four congressional and federal investigations into buchanan 's business practices , his campaign finances and his alleged attempt to try to stop a witness from talking . congress : same hours , half the work now that witness is stepping forward in an exclusive interview with cnn . buchanan 's former business partner says the congressman schemed to launder money from his car dealerships into his campaign coffers , and then tried to get others to cover it up . many of the questions surrounding buchanan go back to his auto dealerships in florida where he made his millions , and back to the days when he worked with his former business partner sam kazran . their partnership started at what is now a weed-filled lot , the former north jacksonville hyundai dealership . eventually they owned four dealerships together . i respected him , ' kazran says of their early years together . i believed him . ' but kazran says he was naive , and that he soon found out the man he believed in was interested in only two things : money and power . mr. buchanan is a very selfish person , and in my opinion people who go to congress have got to do good for the people they represent , ' kazran says . kazran presented to cnn the same information , documents and testimony he has given to federal investigators . the two men had a falling out over their finances , and they 've been suing each other for years . buchanan says kazran is a disgruntled partner and has lied about what happened . at the center of kazran 's allegations is a cash swap scheme used to finance some of buchanan 's campaigns . he says employees were forced to write checks , then were reimbursed with cash drawn from buchanan 's car dealerships . it was to a point where i said ,'chief , we ca n't give you this kind of money . at which point he said ,'just run it through the corporation ,'' kazran said . what he said to me was'get people to write a check to the campaign and then pay them back through the corporation .'' kazran did , and he was soon calling in managers , salesman , even assistants . people who never gave money to campaigns were suddenly writing big checks to buchanan for congress and , according to kazran , getting reimbursed from the dealership . it added up to almost $ 70,000 at kazran 's dealership alone , he said . senate close to deal to extend low interest rates on student loans ' i remember one of the partners jokingly saying ,'boss , you have all the money in the world . why do you want us to pay you the money ?'and he said ,'well , it does n't look good if it 's coming from me .'' kazran took his detailed allegations to the federal elections commission , which was already looking into buchanan 's campaign finances . investigators there wanted to know not only about how the cash-swap scheme was set up , but if the congressman knew about it . kazran says there is no question the congressman knew all about it . the fec 's initial report found reason to believe ' that buchanan knowingly and willfully violated ' federal election laws . read the initial fec report ( pdf ) . but in a later report the fec pulled back , saying it found credibility problems with both kazran and buchanan and not enough corroborating evidence to back up kazran 's testimony . the fec then dropped the investigation into buchanan , stating , while there is some other evidence in the record that is consistent with kazran 's general allegations , other evidence supports buchanan 's denials or is ambiguous . ' read the fec report ( pdf ) . the fec eventually fined kazran $ 5,000 in a settlement because he admitted reimbursing employees for campaign contributions . kazran has never disputed his involvement , but he says he did it because buchanan told him to . while the congressman has said the later fec report proves he 's innocent , the findings at the fec were more convoluted , stating it came close to supporting a finding that it is more likely than not ' that buchanan violated the law . and that 's where things get much more serious for the congressman . during the fec probe , buchanan pushed to settle a lawsuit kazran had brought against him . at the last minute , with a $ 2.9 million settlement offer from buchanan dangling in front of him , kazran says he was given an affidavit to sign . according to kazran , the congressman and his attorneys were asking him to sign a statement that was a lie , that buchanan knew nothing about the campaign cash swap . kazran says buchanan and his team were trying to force him to lie about buchanan 's role in the campaign cash scheme in exchange for the nearly $ 3 million cash settlement , money which kazran says he desperately needed , as his finances were in trouble and his wife was suffering from cancer and was undergoing expensive medical treatments . a lot of the language of it was really to distance himself ... , ' said kazran . in short it said that mr. buchanan had nothing to do with it . ' kazran 's lawyer , robert stok , says it was clearly an effort to lean on kazran when he was vulnerable . he was holding the settlement in escrow , ' stok says . he basically said ,'we can settle , but there 's one little thing remaining . all you have to do is sign this affidavit . we release the settlement and everything will be rosy for you .'' kazran refused to sign and took the affidavit to federal investigators . now , cnn has learned that buchanan is being investigated for attempting to tamper with a witness in a federal investigation . after cnn 's repeated requests for interviews were ignored , cnn decided to find buchanan as he emerged from a hearing . buchanan would not respond fully to any questions and quickly walked away from cnn 's camera . when asked if he tried to get kazran to sign the affidavit , buchanan responded no , no , no , no . no i did n't , ' adding that he needed to get to another meeting , and that cnn should contact his office . when asked if he used the affidavit to hold up the $ 3 million settlement with kazran , buchanan replied : no . ' in a recent report , released quietly several weeks ago , the office of congressional ethics wrote : ' there is substantial reason to believe that buchanan attempted to influence the testimony of a witness in a proceeding before the fec in violation ' of federal law and house ethics code . read the oce 's report on the affidavit ( pdf ) . now a full house ethics committee is looking into it . cnn has also learned that the fbi is conducting its own investigation . in addition , the office of congressional ethics also found substantial reason to believe ' that buchanan failed to disclose unearned income on his financial disclosure forms from 2007 to 2010 . read the report ( pdf ) . salvatore rosa , a former chief financial officer for buchanan 's business interests for five years , said in a recent deposition conducted by buchanan 's attorney that he submitted a federal whistle-blower complaint to the irs with allegations that buchanan violated federal tax laws , including tax evasion , fraud and conspiracy to commit tax evasion . in the deposition , buchanan 's attorneys asked rosa if he stood to gain a financial windfall ' by filing the complaint . rosa said potentially . ' the deposition did not provide details of the alleged violations of tax law . rosa declined an interview with cnn . buchanan 's office responded to cnn 's interview request with a statement saying the charges are politically motivated , ' that the congressman did nothing wrong , and we are confident that the justice department and house ethics committee will reach the same conclusion . ' on friday , lawyers for buchanan filed a legal motion in sarasota , florida , to seal all documents in the kazran case and to stop kazran and his lawyers from speaking publicly about it . buchanan 's lawyers said news stories about the congressman are publicly disparaging ' his character . stok said : as an american citizen , both congressman buchanan and i have the fundamental right of free speech . ... mr. buchanan 's motion is yet another in a series of frivolous efforts to attempt to shut down the case ... and to conceal his wrongdoing behind a shroud of secrecy . ' cnn 's nicole boucher contributed to this report . watch anderson cooper 360° weeknights 10pm et . for the latest from ac360° click here .	buchanan , a top house gop fundraiser , says allegations are politically motivated '
zaeef <tsp> ( cnn ) -- as one of the right-hand men to taliban leader mullah omar , mullah abdul salam zaeef was one of the first taliban leaders arrested when the united states began military operations in afghanistan . mullah abdul salam zaeef , who was afghanistan 's ambassador to pakistan , says u.s. war efforts are failing . ' as a detainee , he was held both at afghanistan 's bagram air base and at guantanamo bay in cuba -- spending more than three years in guantanamo before he was released in 2006 . now free , zaeef -- who claims he is no longer a taliban member -- alleges the military engaged in abusive treatment both at bagram and guantanamo . he says he is still bitter about his time there . closing guantanamo bay , he told cnn , is only part of the justice those detained there deserve . it was a bad stain on american history , ' he said . if they are closing guantanamo for justice , they have to bring the people who are torturing people , who abuse people , to justice . ' the military has classified those like zaeef as enemy combatants , ' although the justice department in march said it would dispose of that classification . the u.s. military in afghanistan said it was not authorized to comment on zaeef 's or any other individual case . i did n't see a worse situation in my life than bagram , ' recalled zaeef . they were beating me , they put me in the snow , in the cold , until i was unconscious . ' watch zaeef describe no rules ' at gitmo » more than 600 prisoners have been held at guantanamo bay , cuba , a controversial facility where prisoners are held for years without criminal charges and , critics allege , without access to legal representatives . the red cross has said conditions there are harsh . ' currently , 240 detainees remain at the facility . president obama has announced plans to close the military detention center , saying it has made the united states less safe and set back the country 's moral authority . ' his plans , however , have met with opposition as determinations are made on where to send the detainees housed there . in guantanamo , zaeef recalled , there was no rule , no regulation for [ treatment of ] the detainees . ' sayed sharif yousofy , who works to get prisoners released from bagram , said he would like to see both facilities closed . some prisoners are released after four years without any conviction of a crime , which is not fair , ' he said . these prisoners are not treated according to the convention of human rights , either in guantanamo or bagram . ' preliminary intelligence assessments show more than 14 percent of detainees released from guantanamo either returned or are suspected of returning to terrorism , the pentagon said earlier this week . zaeef -- who was afghanistan 's ambassador to pakistan under the taliban regime at the time of the september 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks on the united states -- said he believes the statistics , as detainees are often angry when released . anyone in the world , to be deprived of any kind of human rights , any kind of justice -- he becomes angry , so he will try to get revenge , ' he said . while detained , he said , detainees sometimes lose everything -- homes , property , money -- and they have nothing after that . ' while he claims to no longer be a taliban member , he said he supports the insurgents and believes the united states will never be victorious in afghanistan . there is no choice ' for the taliban except to fight , he said . there is no other way for them . ' ideologically , they [ the u.s. ] are failing ' in afghanistan , he said . i think they are not able to win the war . '	mullah abdul salam zaeef says detainee treatment bad stain ' on u.s. history
zaeef <tsp> ( cnn ) -- as one of the right-hand men to taliban leader mullah omar , mullah abdul salam zaeef was one of the first taliban leaders arrested when the united states began military operations in afghanistan . mullah abdul salam zaeef , who was afghanistan 's ambassador to pakistan , says u.s. war efforts are failing . ' as a detainee , he was held both at afghanistan 's bagram air base and at guantanamo bay in cuba -- spending more than three years in guantanamo before he was released in 2006 . now free , zaeef -- who claims he is no longer a taliban member -- alleges the military engaged in abusive treatment both at bagram and guantanamo . he says he is still bitter about his time there . closing guantanamo bay , he told cnn , is only part of the justice those detained there deserve . it was a bad stain on american history , ' he said . if they are closing guantanamo for justice , they have to bring the people who are torturing people , who abuse people , to justice . ' the military has classified those like zaeef as enemy combatants , ' although the justice department in march said it would dispose of that classification . the u.s. military in afghanistan said it was not authorized to comment on zaeef 's or any other individual case . i did n't see a worse situation in my life than bagram , ' recalled zaeef . they were beating me , they put me in the snow , in the cold , until i was unconscious . ' watch zaeef describe no rules ' at gitmo » more than 600 prisoners have been held at guantanamo bay , cuba , a controversial facility where prisoners are held for years without criminal charges and , critics allege , without access to legal representatives . the red cross has said conditions there are harsh . ' currently , 240 detainees remain at the facility . president obama has announced plans to close the military detention center , saying it has made the united states less safe and set back the country 's moral authority . ' his plans , however , have met with opposition as determinations are made on where to send the detainees housed there . in guantanamo , zaeef recalled , there was no rule , no regulation for [ treatment of ] the detainees . ' sayed sharif yousofy , who works to get prisoners released from bagram , said he would like to see both facilities closed . some prisoners are released after four years without any conviction of a crime , which is not fair , ' he said . these prisoners are not treated according to the convention of human rights , either in guantanamo or bagram . ' preliminary intelligence assessments show more than 14 percent of detainees released from guantanamo either returned or are suspected of returning to terrorism , the pentagon said earlier this week . zaeef -- who was afghanistan 's ambassador to pakistan under the taliban regime at the time of the september 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks on the united states -- said he believes the statistics , as detainees are often angry when released . anyone in the world , to be deprived of any kind of human rights , any kind of justice -- he becomes angry , so he will try to get revenge , ' he said . while detained , he said , detainees sometimes lose everything -- homes , property , money -- and they have nothing after that . ' while he claims to no longer be a taliban member , he said he supports the insurgents and believes the united states will never be victorious in afghanistan . there is no choice ' for the taliban except to fight , he said . there is no other way for them . ' ideologically , they [ the u.s. ] are failing ' in afghanistan , he said . i think they are not able to win the war . '	zaeef agrees with pentagon estimate that 14 percent of freed detainees return to fray
lin <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the linsanity ' surrounding the new york knicks'surprise phenom at point guard may be motivated by something bigger than sports . yes , jeremy lin is a terrific athlete , whose almost accidental discovery by the knicks and little-engine-that-could perseverance make for great radio commentary and pop cultural mythology . but there 's something deeper at play here : lin is iconic of a new kind of hero for the 21st century . and he is not alone . take lin 's story by itself : a harvard graduate and only occasional ivy league basketball star , lin struggles to get recognized in the nba . he is picked up by the golden state warriors only to be released . then , plagued by player injuries and in need of an extra backup point guard , the knicks pick up lin as a temp backup , only to dump him back in the d-league when they think they do n't need him . after a string of losses , they bring him back on board more for the hell of it than anything else , and lin lights a fire under the team , leading it to a run of dramatic victories . still , lin is not a superstar in the modern nba slam-dunk sense . he can drive to the basket and make clutch plays , but the key to lin 's success is his ability to make the rest of his team work -- well , like a team . the economics major is a cool intellectual , who looks at his colleagues as part of a system . his talent is being able to keep them and the ball moving , and to find the open man -- whoever it might be , even himself . this style of play evokes earlier eras of the sport , where teamwork mattered more than individual performance . yet it also evokes the spirit of our current era -- one in which networks and connections are coming to matter more than individual skill or personal gain . another view : jeremy lin 's race is a factor consider another harvard alum in the headlines these days , facebook founder mark zuckerberg . he came up with his social networking platform in his dorm room , with little more ambition than to create a new way for his college friends to connect to one another . and with a combination of perseverance and bit of luck , he ended up in the right place at the right time . unlike the charismatic ceos of the industrial age , zuckerberg is a rather unassuming , quick-to-gaffe computer programmer whose entire premise -- his entire business -- is based on his ability to keep other people networking . at his best , he is a mere facilitator . likewise , harvard law alum barack obama came out of nowhere . a state senator gets picked to keynote a democratic convention , and then somehow flips his huge success at that into a winning presidential campaign . his rise to viability , remember , depended on the strength of his internet fundraising , and his ability to organize new networks of people around his candidacy through tools like meetup and facebook . and again , it 's a cool , plainspoken facilitator at the helm : so cool and deliberative that he infuriates even some of his allies , but a strategist whose deeper instincts about playing the political game are only now coming to light . these are not the kind of people we traditionally think of as heroes in sports , technology , and politics . compare jeremy lin , mark zuckerberg , and barack obama to , say , michael jordan , steve jobs , and bill clinton . jordan , jobs , and clinton were stars in their own right . their campaigns and their victories were about themselves . it was jordan who made the dunks , jobs who showed us the iphone , and clinton who made his presidency about himself . lin , zuckerberg , and obama , on the other hand , are rather underwhelming as tribal leaders . they are leaders of the net generation , who owe their power to the networks they can catalyze . that 's why the extent to which these three succeed will be based on their ability to keep the story from being about themselves . jeremy lin 's biggest problem right now is his superstardom , and the fact that fan focus and adulation could make it harder for him to keep his senior , star teammates from getting jealous and uncooperative . or worse , they could convince lin that he really is all that people wish for him to be . likewise , zuckerberg 's greatest liability is the possibility that the people actually energizing facebook -- those of us who use it to connect -- begin to suspect that his company and shareholders matter more than us . once it feels like we 're creating more value for him than he is for us , we 're out . and finally , obama 's success -- and chances for a second term -- may depend on his ability both to keep the ball moving , and keep his adversaries from casting that dependence on teamwork as some form of european socialism . remember , obama did not tell us that he was the one we were waiting for , but rather that we are the ones we have been waiting for . this is 21st century leadership , writ large . whether we , the president , the internet or even our sports industry are up the challenge is the real question posed by the rise of a kid named lin . follow cnn opinion on twitter . join the conversation on facebook . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of douglas rushkoff .	lin , mark zuckerberg and barack obama are cool , strategic facilitators , he says
lin <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the linsanity ' surrounding the new york knicks'surprise phenom at point guard may be motivated by something bigger than sports . yes , jeremy lin is a terrific athlete , whose almost accidental discovery by the knicks and little-engine-that-could perseverance make for great radio commentary and pop cultural mythology . but there 's something deeper at play here : lin is iconic of a new kind of hero for the 21st century . and he is not alone . take lin 's story by itself : a harvard graduate and only occasional ivy league basketball star , lin struggles to get recognized in the nba . he is picked up by the golden state warriors only to be released . then , plagued by player injuries and in need of an extra backup point guard , the knicks pick up lin as a temp backup , only to dump him back in the d-league when they think they do n't need him . after a string of losses , they bring him back on board more for the hell of it than anything else , and lin lights a fire under the team , leading it to a run of dramatic victories . still , lin is not a superstar in the modern nba slam-dunk sense . he can drive to the basket and make clutch plays , but the key to lin 's success is his ability to make the rest of his team work -- well , like a team . the economics major is a cool intellectual , who looks at his colleagues as part of a system . his talent is being able to keep them and the ball moving , and to find the open man -- whoever it might be , even himself . this style of play evokes earlier eras of the sport , where teamwork mattered more than individual performance . yet it also evokes the spirit of our current era -- one in which networks and connections are coming to matter more than individual skill or personal gain . another view : jeremy lin 's race is a factor consider another harvard alum in the headlines these days , facebook founder mark zuckerberg . he came up with his social networking platform in his dorm room , with little more ambition than to create a new way for his college friends to connect to one another . and with a combination of perseverance and bit of luck , he ended up in the right place at the right time . unlike the charismatic ceos of the industrial age , zuckerberg is a rather unassuming , quick-to-gaffe computer programmer whose entire premise -- his entire business -- is based on his ability to keep other people networking . at his best , he is a mere facilitator . likewise , harvard law alum barack obama came out of nowhere . a state senator gets picked to keynote a democratic convention , and then somehow flips his huge success at that into a winning presidential campaign . his rise to viability , remember , depended on the strength of his internet fundraising , and his ability to organize new networks of people around his candidacy through tools like meetup and facebook . and again , it 's a cool , plainspoken facilitator at the helm : so cool and deliberative that he infuriates even some of his allies , but a strategist whose deeper instincts about playing the political game are only now coming to light . these are not the kind of people we traditionally think of as heroes in sports , technology , and politics . compare jeremy lin , mark zuckerberg , and barack obama to , say , michael jordan , steve jobs , and bill clinton . jordan , jobs , and clinton were stars in their own right . their campaigns and their victories were about themselves . it was jordan who made the dunks , jobs who showed us the iphone , and clinton who made his presidency about himself . lin , zuckerberg , and obama , on the other hand , are rather underwhelming as tribal leaders . they are leaders of the net generation , who owe their power to the networks they can catalyze . that 's why the extent to which these three succeed will be based on their ability to keep the story from being about themselves . jeremy lin 's biggest problem right now is his superstardom , and the fact that fan focus and adulation could make it harder for him to keep his senior , star teammates from getting jealous and uncooperative . or worse , they could convince lin that he really is all that people wish for him to be . likewise , zuckerberg 's greatest liability is the possibility that the people actually energizing facebook -- those of us who use it to connect -- begin to suspect that his company and shareholders matter more than us . once it feels like we 're creating more value for him than he is for us , we 're out . and finally , obama 's success -- and chances for a second term -- may depend on his ability both to keep the ball moving , and keep his adversaries from casting that dependence on teamwork as some form of european socialism . remember , obama did not tell us that he was the one we were waiting for , but rather that we are the ones we have been waiting for . this is 21st century leadership , writ large . whether we , the president , the internet or even our sports industry are up the challenge is the real question posed by the rise of a kid named lin . follow cnn opinion on twitter . join the conversation on facebook . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of douglas rushkoff .	douglas rushkoff says jeremy lin is iconic of a new kind of hero for the 21st century
landrieu <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- the fate of the controversial keystone pipeline was n't the only thing at stake during a crucial vote in the senate on tuesday . the vote blocking legislation that would have authorized the pipeline 's construction previews a new era of animosity between resurgent republicans in congress and president barack obama . it could also seal the fate of embattled democratic sen. mary landrieu of louisiana , who had made pushing the measure a focal point in an uphill battle to fend off a gop challenger in a runoff election next month . landrieu fell one vote short of securing the support necessary to advance the legislation . all 45 republicans voted for the measure and 14 democrats did , too . but she needed one more democrat to join her to reach the critical 60 vote threshold . the failure to muster enough democratic votes occurred even though landrieu had insisted for days that she had the votes she needed . i feel very comfortable , ' she said monday night . in a three hour-long senate floor debate tuesday in advance of the vote , landrieu was a bit more tentative . this is one of the first debates in eight years where the outcome is uncertain , ' she said . we usually know the outcome of the vote before we take it because the deals are all cut . ' in her speech , landrieu made an aggressive case in favor of approving the pipeline while other democrats dissented . to everyone who thinks this pipeline is the end of the world -- we already have 2.6 million miles of pipeline in the united states , ' landrieu said . we 're only completing basically 1,000 miles . what is everyone upset about ? california democratic sen. barbara boxer pointed out the potential health risks of laying the pipeline , including heart disease , increased hospitalization , and a higher prevalence of chemicals that penetrate deeply into the lungs . ' the facts are the facts are the facts , ' she said . if you 're not a scientist , then be humble and listen to the peer-reviewed scientists . they do n't have a special interest . they have an interest in giving us information we should base our decisions upon. boxer also referred to the project as the keystone extra lethal pipeline . ' keystone protesters have message for democrats the gop-led house on friday approved a measure that will skip the conclusion of the six-year-old state department review of the pipeline and authorize its construction . though the senate blocked that bill tuesday , incoming majority leader mitch mcconnell ( r-ky. ) said afterward that the newly-elected gop majority will make it an early priority once the new congress is in place in january . if the senate ultimately approves the measure , obama could be poised to issue what would be just the third veto of his nearly six year presidency . at a news conference last week , obama made clear that he does n't want congress to interfere with the state department 's process . understand what this project is : it is providing the ability of canada to pump their oil , send it through our land , down to the gulf , where it will be sold everywhere else . it does n't have an impact on u.s. gas prices , ' obama said at a friday news conference in myanmar . the showdown comes as obama and congressional republicans appear to be on a collision course over immigration . republicans are considering how to respond if obama follows through with a pledge to revise immigration policies by the end of the year . some gop lawmakers have talked about potentially shutting down the government if obama keeps that promise . on keystone , senate democrats had moved toward a vote largely in an effort to help landrieu , the senate energy and natural resources chairwoman . she is facing off in the december runoff against republican rep. bill cassidy , who sponsored the house 's keystone bill and has been promised a seat of his own on the energy panel . the measure offered landrieu a final chance to demonstrate her clout before voters return to the polls . already , landrieu was joined by 10 democratic co-sponsors : alaska sen. mark begich , arkansas sen. mark pryor , indiana sen. joe donnelly , missouri sen. claire mccaskill , montana sen. jon tester , montana sen. john walsh , north carolina sen. kay hagan , north dakota sen. heidi heitkamp , virginia sen. mark warner and west virginia sen. joe manchin . three more democrats had pledged last week to support the measure : colorado sen. michael bennet , delaware sen. tom carper and pennsylvania sen. bob casey . but by monday night , it was clear that the list of landrieu 's potential democratic allies to provide the final vote had dwindled . one of landrieu 's top targets , west virginia sen. jay rockefeller , said he would n't support the measure . another potential backer , maine sen. angus king , an independent who caucuses with the democrats , told cnn tuesday he would vote against the bill . landrieu 's entreaties to other democrats had also been rejected . outgoing michigan sen. carl levin would not support the pipeline , a spokeswoman said monday . nor will new jersey sen. cory booker , who tweeted his opposition over the weekend . also confirming their opposition to the measure to various news outlets were minnesota sen. amy klobuchar , florida sen. bill nelson , new york sen. chuck schumer , delaware sen. chris coons , new jersey sen. robert menendez and colorado sen. mark udall . retiring democratic sen. tom harkin of iowa said he would n't be voting for the pipeline . i 've come to this conclusion : every dollar that we spend on fossil fuel development and use is another dollar we spend digging the graves of our grandchildren , ' he told reporters tuesday . and i 'm not going to be a part of it anymore . i 'm through . that 's just how strong i feel . i know we ca n't solve it overnight , but we have to be on a steep glide path in getting rid of fossil fuels as a source of energy for our planet . ' even landrieu 's democratic supporters were facing pressure . anti-keystone activists , including college students , were trying tuesday to convince carper and bennet to change their minds , protesting at the senators'capitol hill offices . we 've been playing politics for too long and this is not a political game ... this is affecting everyone , ' student rachael scheinman told cnn inside bennet 's office , holding a sign that read , sen. bennet , if you 're not a climate denier , do n't vote like one . ' [ bennet ] needs to vote his conscience on this one , ' added student elli bloomberg . boehner : a keystone veto is'equivalent to calling american people stupid' the peaceful scene in bennet 's office was in contrast to a more rambunctious protest in carper 's office , where protestors loudly chanted , you ca n't eat money , you ca n't drink oil , ' keep the tarsands in the soil , we do n't want this dirty oil , ' and what do we want ? ' climate justice , ' when do we want it ? ' now . ' staffers attempted to speak to protesters in carper 's office and explain his vote . what i hear you saying is that the senator is politicizing an environmental crisis , ' one protester said . if he believes the science , there 's no reason for him to be voting like this and mortgaging our future , ' said another . capitol police arrested four of the activists inside carper 's office . they were escorted outside to chants of climate heroes . ' fact checking keystone jobs claims cnn chief congressional correspondent dana bash , cnn 's adam levy , cnn 's betsy klein and cnn 's justin peligri contributed to this story .	landrieu had 14 of the 15 democrats she needs to reach the 60 votes necessary for passage
landrieu <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- the fate of the controversial keystone pipeline was n't the only thing at stake during a crucial vote in the senate on tuesday . the vote blocking legislation that would have authorized the pipeline 's construction previews a new era of animosity between resurgent republicans in congress and president barack obama . it could also seal the fate of embattled democratic sen. mary landrieu of louisiana , who had made pushing the measure a focal point in an uphill battle to fend off a gop challenger in a runoff election next month . landrieu fell one vote short of securing the support necessary to advance the legislation . all 45 republicans voted for the measure and 14 democrats did , too . but she needed one more democrat to join her to reach the critical 60 vote threshold . the failure to muster enough democratic votes occurred even though landrieu had insisted for days that she had the votes she needed . i feel very comfortable , ' she said monday night . in a three hour-long senate floor debate tuesday in advance of the vote , landrieu was a bit more tentative . this is one of the first debates in eight years where the outcome is uncertain , ' she said . we usually know the outcome of the vote before we take it because the deals are all cut . ' in her speech , landrieu made an aggressive case in favor of approving the pipeline while other democrats dissented . to everyone who thinks this pipeline is the end of the world -- we already have 2.6 million miles of pipeline in the united states , ' landrieu said . we 're only completing basically 1,000 miles . what is everyone upset about ? california democratic sen. barbara boxer pointed out the potential health risks of laying the pipeline , including heart disease , increased hospitalization , and a higher prevalence of chemicals that penetrate deeply into the lungs . ' the facts are the facts are the facts , ' she said . if you 're not a scientist , then be humble and listen to the peer-reviewed scientists . they do n't have a special interest . they have an interest in giving us information we should base our decisions upon. boxer also referred to the project as the keystone extra lethal pipeline . ' keystone protesters have message for democrats the gop-led house on friday approved a measure that will skip the conclusion of the six-year-old state department review of the pipeline and authorize its construction . though the senate blocked that bill tuesday , incoming majority leader mitch mcconnell ( r-ky. ) said afterward that the newly-elected gop majority will make it an early priority once the new congress is in place in january . if the senate ultimately approves the measure , obama could be poised to issue what would be just the third veto of his nearly six year presidency . at a news conference last week , obama made clear that he does n't want congress to interfere with the state department 's process . understand what this project is : it is providing the ability of canada to pump their oil , send it through our land , down to the gulf , where it will be sold everywhere else . it does n't have an impact on u.s. gas prices , ' obama said at a friday news conference in myanmar . the showdown comes as obama and congressional republicans appear to be on a collision course over immigration . republicans are considering how to respond if obama follows through with a pledge to revise immigration policies by the end of the year . some gop lawmakers have talked about potentially shutting down the government if obama keeps that promise . on keystone , senate democrats had moved toward a vote largely in an effort to help landrieu , the senate energy and natural resources chairwoman . she is facing off in the december runoff against republican rep. bill cassidy , who sponsored the house 's keystone bill and has been promised a seat of his own on the energy panel . the measure offered landrieu a final chance to demonstrate her clout before voters return to the polls . already , landrieu was joined by 10 democratic co-sponsors : alaska sen. mark begich , arkansas sen. mark pryor , indiana sen. joe donnelly , missouri sen. claire mccaskill , montana sen. jon tester , montana sen. john walsh , north carolina sen. kay hagan , north dakota sen. heidi heitkamp , virginia sen. mark warner and west virginia sen. joe manchin . three more democrats had pledged last week to support the measure : colorado sen. michael bennet , delaware sen. tom carper and pennsylvania sen. bob casey . but by monday night , it was clear that the list of landrieu 's potential democratic allies to provide the final vote had dwindled . one of landrieu 's top targets , west virginia sen. jay rockefeller , said he would n't support the measure . another potential backer , maine sen. angus king , an independent who caucuses with the democrats , told cnn tuesday he would vote against the bill . landrieu 's entreaties to other democrats had also been rejected . outgoing michigan sen. carl levin would not support the pipeline , a spokeswoman said monday . nor will new jersey sen. cory booker , who tweeted his opposition over the weekend . also confirming their opposition to the measure to various news outlets were minnesota sen. amy klobuchar , florida sen. bill nelson , new york sen. chuck schumer , delaware sen. chris coons , new jersey sen. robert menendez and colorado sen. mark udall . retiring democratic sen. tom harkin of iowa said he would n't be voting for the pipeline . i 've come to this conclusion : every dollar that we spend on fossil fuel development and use is another dollar we spend digging the graves of our grandchildren , ' he told reporters tuesday . and i 'm not going to be a part of it anymore . i 'm through . that 's just how strong i feel . i know we ca n't solve it overnight , but we have to be on a steep glide path in getting rid of fossil fuels as a source of energy for our planet . ' even landrieu 's democratic supporters were facing pressure . anti-keystone activists , including college students , were trying tuesday to convince carper and bennet to change their minds , protesting at the senators'capitol hill offices . we 've been playing politics for too long and this is not a political game ... this is affecting everyone , ' student rachael scheinman told cnn inside bennet 's office , holding a sign that read , sen. bennet , if you 're not a climate denier , do n't vote like one . ' [ bennet ] needs to vote his conscience on this one , ' added student elli bloomberg . boehner : a keystone veto is'equivalent to calling american people stupid' the peaceful scene in bennet 's office was in contrast to a more rambunctious protest in carper 's office , where protestors loudly chanted , you ca n't eat money , you ca n't drink oil , ' keep the tarsands in the soil , we do n't want this dirty oil , ' and what do we want ? ' climate justice , ' when do we want it ? ' now . ' staffers attempted to speak to protesters in carper 's office and explain his vote . what i hear you saying is that the senator is politicizing an environmental crisis , ' one protester said . if he believes the science , there 's no reason for him to be voting like this and mortgaging our future , ' said another . capitol police arrested four of the activists inside carper 's office . they were escorted outside to chants of climate heroes . ' fact checking keystone jobs claims cnn chief congressional correspondent dana bash , cnn 's adam levy , cnn 's betsy klein and cnn 's justin peligri contributed to this story .	the bill is being championed by democratic sen. mary landrieu ahead of her dec. 6 run-off election
francis <tsp> john xxiii and john paul ii were canonized sunday by pope francis in an unprecedented ceremony witnessed by huge crowds gathered in st. peter 's square in vatican city . millions more around the world watched as two former pontiffs were for the first time installed as saints in a dual canonization . the faithful and the curious packed the streets of rome around the vatican before dawn , hoping to gain entry to st. peter 's square and catch a direct glimpse of church history in the making . vatican radio put the crowds at some 800,000 in the st. peter 's area , including the square and the roads and gardens around it . another 500,000 followed the proceedings on giant screens set up around rome , according to estimates based on police aerial shots . in another first on a historic day , two living popes were present for the ceremony . pope emeritus benedict xvi , who resigned from the papacy a year ago citing health reasons , was not at the altar but was greeted warmly by francis both before and after the event . many of those gathered in the square for the solemn open-air ceremony carried flags and banners . the red and white polish flag was prominent among them , a reflection of the affection felt for john paul ii in his homeland , poland . another read simply , thank you . ' with the canonization , a holy relic for each of the popes was formally presented to the altar before the crowds . giant banners showing the faces of the two late popes hung on the facade of st. peter 's basilica . in his homily , francis described the pair as men of courage ' who bore witness to god 's mercy . they were priests , bishops and popes of the 20th century , ' he said . they lived through the tragic events of that century , but they were not overwhelmed by them . for them , god was more powerful , faith was more powerful . ' he paid tribute to the efforts of john xxiii and john paul ii to renew and strengthen the church . the landmark second vatican council called by john xxiii was of great service to the church , he said . that council helped to bring the church to the people , for example by allowing languages other than latin to be used for mass . john paul ii , who served for nearly 27 years , is seen as the pope of the family ' and wanted to be remembered that way , francis added . popemobile progress after greeting visiting dignitaries , pope francis climbed into the popemobile , a chance for him to get closer to some of the many faithful who have flocked to rome . the joyful crowds waved and screamed as he passed through their midst in the open-sided vehicle , with francis waving and smiling back . one american pilgrim , hector alicea of maryland , told cnn it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity ' for him and his two children to be there for the event . it was very exciting , ' he said . we did n't get a lot of sleep and it 's very , very crowded , but all in all it was an incredibly cheerful environment . ' the event has a special significance for him because his faith was revitalized after he heard john paul ii preach a sermon in baltimore in 1994 , he said . what we are seeing today is the kind of youth who grew up in the john paul generation . ' he was impressed by the diversity of the crowds , he said , as well as the numbers of young and old among them . applause greets benedict vatican spokesman the rev . federico lombardi said beforehand that as many as 150 cardinals and 1,000 bishops would attend the canonization ceremony , as well as some 6,000 priests . benedict , looking frail in his white robes , was greeted with applause as he took his place among the bishops and cardinals . delegations from more than 100 countries around the world were expected to be present , the vatican said , including at least 24 heads of state . a large jewish delegation was also to attend , reflecting the efforts of both popes to reach out to the jewish faith . sunday evening also marks the beginning of holocaust remembrance day . the two popes canonized are : john xxiii ( 1881-1963 ) -- known as angelo giuseppe roncalli before he became pope -- was one of 13 children born into a family of italian peasants , farmers from a tiny village in the country 's north . he was sent away to study for the priesthood at age 11 . john paul ii ( 1920-2005 ) , born karol jozef wojtyla , was brought up in a grimy industrial town in poland and raised by his soldier father after his mother died when he was just 8 years old . he spent his formative years living under first nazis , then communists . his beatification is the quickest in modern times , made possible because benedict -- who succeeded john paul in 2005 -- waived the normal five-year waiting period after death to get someone 's beatification rolling . tomb visits vatican observers see the decision to canonize both popes together as a masterstroke designed to invite unity within the roman catholic church , since it brings together a conservative and a reformer . the day chosen for the ceremony , the first sunday after easter , is significant because in the church calendar it is divine mercy sunday . mercy was a theme important to both popes -- and to francis . after the mass , the basilica of st. peter will be open into the evening to allow pilgrims the opportunity to visit the tombs of the two new saints , vatican radio said . john paul ii 's relic , a vial containing his blood , is the same one used for his beatification ceremony in 2011 . john xxiii 's relic is a piece of skin removed from his body when it was exhumed -- in order to move his body from the crypt under st peter 's basilica to the main basilica -- for his 2000 beatification ceremony . after the eucharistic service , their names were included for the first time in the chanting of the litany of the saints . the huge crowds present in rome reflect the fact that both men were popular in life and known for their efforts to reach out to ordinary people , a path which francis also seems determined to follow . the event is the biggest in vatican city since the election of pope francis last year . the vatican 's official website said civil security forces were prepared and the subway system would run nonstop through the weekend to accommodate the influx of pilgrims for the ceremony .	pope francis hails john xxiii and john paul ii as men of courage ' in his homily
francis <tsp> john xxiii and john paul ii were canonized sunday by pope francis in an unprecedented ceremony witnessed by huge crowds gathered in st. peter 's square in vatican city . millions more around the world watched as two former pontiffs were for the first time installed as saints in a dual canonization . the faithful and the curious packed the streets of rome around the vatican before dawn , hoping to gain entry to st. peter 's square and catch a direct glimpse of church history in the making . vatican radio put the crowds at some 800,000 in the st. peter 's area , including the square and the roads and gardens around it . another 500,000 followed the proceedings on giant screens set up around rome , according to estimates based on police aerial shots . in another first on a historic day , two living popes were present for the ceremony . pope emeritus benedict xvi , who resigned from the papacy a year ago citing health reasons , was not at the altar but was greeted warmly by francis both before and after the event . many of those gathered in the square for the solemn open-air ceremony carried flags and banners . the red and white polish flag was prominent among them , a reflection of the affection felt for john paul ii in his homeland , poland . another read simply , thank you . ' with the canonization , a holy relic for each of the popes was formally presented to the altar before the crowds . giant banners showing the faces of the two late popes hung on the facade of st. peter 's basilica . in his homily , francis described the pair as men of courage ' who bore witness to god 's mercy . they were priests , bishops and popes of the 20th century , ' he said . they lived through the tragic events of that century , but they were not overwhelmed by them . for them , god was more powerful , faith was more powerful . ' he paid tribute to the efforts of john xxiii and john paul ii to renew and strengthen the church . the landmark second vatican council called by john xxiii was of great service to the church , he said . that council helped to bring the church to the people , for example by allowing languages other than latin to be used for mass . john paul ii , who served for nearly 27 years , is seen as the pope of the family ' and wanted to be remembered that way , francis added . popemobile progress after greeting visiting dignitaries , pope francis climbed into the popemobile , a chance for him to get closer to some of the many faithful who have flocked to rome . the joyful crowds waved and screamed as he passed through their midst in the open-sided vehicle , with francis waving and smiling back . one american pilgrim , hector alicea of maryland , told cnn it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity ' for him and his two children to be there for the event . it was very exciting , ' he said . we did n't get a lot of sleep and it 's very , very crowded , but all in all it was an incredibly cheerful environment . ' the event has a special significance for him because his faith was revitalized after he heard john paul ii preach a sermon in baltimore in 1994 , he said . what we are seeing today is the kind of youth who grew up in the john paul generation . ' he was impressed by the diversity of the crowds , he said , as well as the numbers of young and old among them . applause greets benedict vatican spokesman the rev . federico lombardi said beforehand that as many as 150 cardinals and 1,000 bishops would attend the canonization ceremony , as well as some 6,000 priests . benedict , looking frail in his white robes , was greeted with applause as he took his place among the bishops and cardinals . delegations from more than 100 countries around the world were expected to be present , the vatican said , including at least 24 heads of state . a large jewish delegation was also to attend , reflecting the efforts of both popes to reach out to the jewish faith . sunday evening also marks the beginning of holocaust remembrance day . the two popes canonized are : john xxiii ( 1881-1963 ) -- known as angelo giuseppe roncalli before he became pope -- was one of 13 children born into a family of italian peasants , farmers from a tiny village in the country 's north . he was sent away to study for the priesthood at age 11 . john paul ii ( 1920-2005 ) , born karol jozef wojtyla , was brought up in a grimy industrial town in poland and raised by his soldier father after his mother died when he was just 8 years old . he spent his formative years living under first nazis , then communists . his beatification is the quickest in modern times , made possible because benedict -- who succeeded john paul in 2005 -- waived the normal five-year waiting period after death to get someone 's beatification rolling . tomb visits vatican observers see the decision to canonize both popes together as a masterstroke designed to invite unity within the roman catholic church , since it brings together a conservative and a reformer . the day chosen for the ceremony , the first sunday after easter , is significant because in the church calendar it is divine mercy sunday . mercy was a theme important to both popes -- and to francis . after the mass , the basilica of st. peter will be open into the evening to allow pilgrims the opportunity to visit the tombs of the two new saints , vatican radio said . john paul ii 's relic , a vial containing his blood , is the same one used for his beatification ceremony in 2011 . john xxiii 's relic is a piece of skin removed from his body when it was exhumed -- in order to move his body from the crypt under st peter 's basilica to the main basilica -- for his 2000 beatification ceremony . after the eucharistic service , their names were included for the first time in the chanting of the litany of the saints . the huge crowds present in rome reflect the fact that both men were popular in life and known for their efforts to reach out to ordinary people , a path which francis also seems determined to follow . the event is the biggest in vatican city since the election of pope francis last year . the vatican 's official website said civil security forces were prepared and the subway system would run nonstop through the weekend to accommodate the influx of pilgrims for the ceremony .	they were priests , bishops and popes of the 20th century , ' francis says
wakefield <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the author of a now-retracted study linking autism to childhood vaccines expected a related medical test to rack up sales of up to $ 43 million a year , a british medical journal reported tuesday . the report in the medical journal bmj is the second in a series sharply critical of dr. andrew wakefield , who reported the link in 1998 . it follows the journal 's declaration last week that the 1998 paper in which wakefield first suggested a connection between autism and the measles , mumps and rubella , or mmr , vaccine was an elaborate fraud . ' the venture was to be launched off the back of the vaccine scare , diagnosing a purported -- and still unsubstantiated --'new syndrome ,'' bmj reported tuesday . a prospectus for potential investors suggested that a test for the disorder wakefield dubbed autistic enterocolitis ' could produce as much as 28 million pounds ( $ 43 million u.s. ) in revenue , the journal reported , with litigation driven testing ' of patients in the united states and britain its initial market . among his partners in the enterprise was the father of one of the 12 children in the 1998 study that launched the controversy , the journal reported . in 2010 , after a lengthy investigation , british authorities stripped wakefield of his medical license , and the lancet -- which published his original study -- retracted the paper . he has denied any wrongdoing , and a vocal contingent of advocates for children with autism continues to support him . wakefield did not immediately respond to a request for comment from cnn . but in an interview on an internet radio site tuesday , wakefield again defended his research and called the bmj series utter nonsense . ' he said the patent he held was not for a test or an alternative to the mmr vaccine , as bmj reported , but an over-the-counter nutritional supplement ' that boosts the immune system . and he blasted allegations that he used the cases of the 12 children in his study to promote his business venture . the children were not exploited , ' he said . they were seen because they were sick . they had clinical referrals . they came to us . we responded to a crisis . ' he also repeated his attack on the author of the bmj report , freelance journalist brian deer , whom he has accused of being paid by the pharmaceutical industry . in financial disclosure forms , deer has stated that he has received no such payments . dr. max wiznitzer , a pediatric neurologist at rainbow babies and children 's hospital in cleveland , said that if true , the latest bmj allegations would indicate a major ethical breach . assuming the facts deer lays out are correct , it is disappointing that wakefield in his book casts aspersions on others for all their purported conflicts of interests and failures of disclosure , yet does not examine the same issues in himself , ' wiznitzer said . therefore , those who are trying to objectively evaluate the situation have up to this point not been given all the facts . ' bmj reported the business venture failed to launch after wakefield 's superiors at university college london 's medical school raised concerns in 1999 about a serious conflict of interest ' between his research and the company formed to launch his new product . this concern arose originally because the company 's business plan appears to depend on premature , scientifically unjustified publication of results , which do not conform to the rigorous academic and scientific standards that are generally expected , ' a letter stated . but the university offered him a year 's paid absence and help in replicating his original research with a larger group of 150 children in the name of good scientific practice . ' the follow-up study never occurred , and no other research has duplicated wakefield 's original findings , bmj reported . he left the university in 2001 , and bmj quotes his former boss as saying the school paid him to go away . ' the bmj pieces are a series of investigative reports , not a clinical study . the journal 's editor-in-chief , fiona godlee , said last week that of the 12 children wakefield examined in his 1998 lancet paper , five showed developmental problems before receiving the mmr vaccine and three never had autism . according to bmj , wakefield received more than 435,000 pounds ( about $ 674,000 ) from lawyers trying to build a case against vaccine manufacturers -- a serious conflict of interest he failed to disclose . most of his co-authors abandoned the study in 2004 , when those payments were revealed . the now-discredited paper panicked many parents and led to a sharp drop in the number of children getting the vaccine that prevents measles , mumps and rubella . vaccination rates dropped sharply in britain after its publication , falling as low as 80 % by 2004 . measles cases have gone up sharply in the ensuing years . in the united states , more cases of measles were reported in 2008 than in any other year since 1997 , according to the centers for disease control and prevention . more than 90 % of those infected had not been vaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown , the cdc reported . cnn 's miriam falco contributed to this report .	dr. andrew wakefield expected his test to be used in'litigation driven ' cases , bmj says
wakefield <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the author of a now-retracted study linking autism to childhood vaccines expected a related medical test to rack up sales of up to $ 43 million a year , a british medical journal reported tuesday . the report in the medical journal bmj is the second in a series sharply critical of dr. andrew wakefield , who reported the link in 1998 . it follows the journal 's declaration last week that the 1998 paper in which wakefield first suggested a connection between autism and the measles , mumps and rubella , or mmr , vaccine was an elaborate fraud . ' the venture was to be launched off the back of the vaccine scare , diagnosing a purported -- and still unsubstantiated --'new syndrome ,'' bmj reported tuesday . a prospectus for potential investors suggested that a test for the disorder wakefield dubbed autistic enterocolitis ' could produce as much as 28 million pounds ( $ 43 million u.s. ) in revenue , the journal reported , with litigation driven testing ' of patients in the united states and britain its initial market . among his partners in the enterprise was the father of one of the 12 children in the 1998 study that launched the controversy , the journal reported . in 2010 , after a lengthy investigation , british authorities stripped wakefield of his medical license , and the lancet -- which published his original study -- retracted the paper . he has denied any wrongdoing , and a vocal contingent of advocates for children with autism continues to support him . wakefield did not immediately respond to a request for comment from cnn . but in an interview on an internet radio site tuesday , wakefield again defended his research and called the bmj series utter nonsense . ' he said the patent he held was not for a test or an alternative to the mmr vaccine , as bmj reported , but an over-the-counter nutritional supplement ' that boosts the immune system . and he blasted allegations that he used the cases of the 12 children in his study to promote his business venture . the children were not exploited , ' he said . they were seen because they were sick . they had clinical referrals . they came to us . we responded to a crisis . ' he also repeated his attack on the author of the bmj report , freelance journalist brian deer , whom he has accused of being paid by the pharmaceutical industry . in financial disclosure forms , deer has stated that he has received no such payments . dr. max wiznitzer , a pediatric neurologist at rainbow babies and children 's hospital in cleveland , said that if true , the latest bmj allegations would indicate a major ethical breach . assuming the facts deer lays out are correct , it is disappointing that wakefield in his book casts aspersions on others for all their purported conflicts of interests and failures of disclosure , yet does not examine the same issues in himself , ' wiznitzer said . therefore , those who are trying to objectively evaluate the situation have up to this point not been given all the facts . ' bmj reported the business venture failed to launch after wakefield 's superiors at university college london 's medical school raised concerns in 1999 about a serious conflict of interest ' between his research and the company formed to launch his new product . this concern arose originally because the company 's business plan appears to depend on premature , scientifically unjustified publication of results , which do not conform to the rigorous academic and scientific standards that are generally expected , ' a letter stated . but the university offered him a year 's paid absence and help in replicating his original research with a larger group of 150 children in the name of good scientific practice . ' the follow-up study never occurred , and no other research has duplicated wakefield 's original findings , bmj reported . he left the university in 2001 , and bmj quotes his former boss as saying the school paid him to go away . ' the bmj pieces are a series of investigative reports , not a clinical study . the journal 's editor-in-chief , fiona godlee , said last week that of the 12 children wakefield examined in his 1998 lancet paper , five showed developmental problems before receiving the mmr vaccine and three never had autism . according to bmj , wakefield received more than 435,000 pounds ( about $ 674,000 ) from lawyers trying to build a case against vaccine manufacturers -- a serious conflict of interest he failed to disclose . most of his co-authors abandoned the study in 2004 , when those payments were revealed . the now-discredited paper panicked many parents and led to a sharp drop in the number of children getting the vaccine that prevents measles , mumps and rubella . vaccination rates dropped sharply in britain after its publication , falling as low as 80 % by 2004 . measles cases have gone up sharply in the ensuing years . in the united states , more cases of measles were reported in 2008 than in any other year since 1997 , according to the centers for disease control and prevention . more than 90 % of those infected had not been vaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown , the cdc reported . cnn 's miriam falco contributed to this report .	wakefield has denied any wrongdoing and attacked the author of the series
wakefield <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the author of a now-retracted study linking autism to childhood vaccines expected a related medical test to rack up sales of up to $ 43 million a year , a british medical journal reported tuesday . the report in the medical journal bmj is the second in a series sharply critical of dr. andrew wakefield , who reported the link in 1998 . it follows the journal 's declaration last week that the 1998 paper in which wakefield first suggested a connection between autism and the measles , mumps and rubella , or mmr , vaccine was an elaborate fraud . ' the venture was to be launched off the back of the vaccine scare , diagnosing a purported -- and still unsubstantiated --'new syndrome ,'' bmj reported tuesday . a prospectus for potential investors suggested that a test for the disorder wakefield dubbed autistic enterocolitis ' could produce as much as 28 million pounds ( $ 43 million u.s. ) in revenue , the journal reported , with litigation driven testing ' of patients in the united states and britain its initial market . among his partners in the enterprise was the father of one of the 12 children in the 1998 study that launched the controversy , the journal reported . in 2010 , after a lengthy investigation , british authorities stripped wakefield of his medical license , and the lancet -- which published his original study -- retracted the paper . he has denied any wrongdoing , and a vocal contingent of advocates for children with autism continues to support him . wakefield did not immediately respond to a request for comment from cnn . but in an interview on an internet radio site tuesday , wakefield again defended his research and called the bmj series utter nonsense . ' he said the patent he held was not for a test or an alternative to the mmr vaccine , as bmj reported , but an over-the-counter nutritional supplement ' that boosts the immune system . and he blasted allegations that he used the cases of the 12 children in his study to promote his business venture . the children were not exploited , ' he said . they were seen because they were sick . they had clinical referrals . they came to us . we responded to a crisis . ' he also repeated his attack on the author of the bmj report , freelance journalist brian deer , whom he has accused of being paid by the pharmaceutical industry . in financial disclosure forms , deer has stated that he has received no such payments . dr. max wiznitzer , a pediatric neurologist at rainbow babies and children 's hospital in cleveland , said that if true , the latest bmj allegations would indicate a major ethical breach . assuming the facts deer lays out are correct , it is disappointing that wakefield in his book casts aspersions on others for all their purported conflicts of interests and failures of disclosure , yet does not examine the same issues in himself , ' wiznitzer said . therefore , those who are trying to objectively evaluate the situation have up to this point not been given all the facts . ' bmj reported the business venture failed to launch after wakefield 's superiors at university college london 's medical school raised concerns in 1999 about a serious conflict of interest ' between his research and the company formed to launch his new product . this concern arose originally because the company 's business plan appears to depend on premature , scientifically unjustified publication of results , which do not conform to the rigorous academic and scientific standards that are generally expected , ' a letter stated . but the university offered him a year 's paid absence and help in replicating his original research with a larger group of 150 children in the name of good scientific practice . ' the follow-up study never occurred , and no other research has duplicated wakefield 's original findings , bmj reported . he left the university in 2001 , and bmj quotes his former boss as saying the school paid him to go away . ' the bmj pieces are a series of investigative reports , not a clinical study . the journal 's editor-in-chief , fiona godlee , said last week that of the 12 children wakefield examined in his 1998 lancet paper , five showed developmental problems before receiving the mmr vaccine and three never had autism . according to bmj , wakefield received more than 435,000 pounds ( about $ 674,000 ) from lawyers trying to build a case against vaccine manufacturers -- a serious conflict of interest he failed to disclose . most of his co-authors abandoned the study in 2004 , when those payments were revealed . the now-discredited paper panicked many parents and led to a sharp drop in the number of children getting the vaccine that prevents measles , mumps and rubella . vaccination rates dropped sharply in britain after its publication , falling as low as 80 % by 2004 . measles cases have gone up sharply in the ensuing years . in the united states , more cases of measles were reported in 2008 than in any other year since 1997 , according to the centers for disease control and prevention . more than 90 % of those infected had not been vaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown , the cdc reported . cnn 's miriam falco contributed to this report .	wakefield 's paper linking vaccines to autism has been retracted
inauguration day <tsp> ( cnn ) -- maybe it did n't have quite the grandeur of president barack obama 's historic inauguration four years ago . but monday 's inauguration day events showcased the pomp and circumstance of the u.s. government at its finest . we may not have royal weddings in the states , but this is about as close as it gets . and , where there is public spectacle , there is twitter , the rapid-fire platform where the world 's online social critics record their musings . twitter said its users sent 1.1 million inauguration-related tweets during monday 's swearing-in ceremony , way up from 82,000 in 2009 , when twitter had n't yet been widely adopted . from politicos to comedians to ordinary citizens , some offered heartfelt thoughts on the historical importance of the day , while others jockeyed for a cheap laugh and a few retweets . here are some of our favorites . ( we 'll be adding to this list as the day goes on . ) barack obama ‏ -- i 'm honored and grateful that we have a chance to finish what we started . our work begins today . let 's go . -bo eric cantor , house majority leader ‏ -- this is a great day for all americans to celebrate and to remember that the capitol belongs to all . tj holmes ‏ -- ca n't help but wonder if this is last time in my lifetime i 'll get 2 see an african american take presidential oath of office . # inaug2013 sandra lee ‏ -- ok # inaug2013 watchers , who is that handsome teenaged boy making eyes at malia obama ? # verycute philip defranco ‏ -- excited about this inauguration . if obama sees his shadow there will be 6 more years of crippling crippling debt . speaker john boehner -- embracing # mlk 's call to serve & make the most of this moment god has given us http : //1.usa.gov/10gcjvh # mlkday andrew kaczynski , buzzfeed reporter ‏ -- ca n't believe you guys are watching the inauguration while scooby doo is on . catherine q -- malia and sasha look so sweet . and so grown up ! # inaug2013 mark harris , ew columnist ‏ -- there 's morgan freeman -- i 'm sorry , uh , sorry , bill russell ! ' -- george stephanopoulos , who will never live that down , on abc just now . ana marie cox ‏ -- karl rove in his basement , enacting a romney inauguration with life-sized cardboard figures . vi ‏ -- look at all those flags ! proud to call myself an american today michelle freed ‏ -- me : kids , come watch the inauguration ! kids : neat . now , can we go watch spongebob upstairs ? * bows head and sighs * # inaug2013 malcom glenn -- unquestionably the largest cheer so far for a jumbotron appearance has gone to jay-z and beyonce ... louder than joe and jill biden . # inaug13 the white house ‏ -- now , more than ever , we must do these things together , as one nation , and one people . ' —president obama # inaug2013 omar l. gallaga ‏ -- i opened for beyoncé . ' -- something inaugural poet richard blanco gets to say forever . # inaug2013 stevieg the truth -- obama 's being inaugurated , it 's martin luther king day and beyonce 's singing the anthem . black folk are having the best monday ever . john fugelsang ‏ -- highlight of the richard blanco poem - eric cantor 's confused face upon hearing the word namaste . ' # presidentialinauguration al gore -- great to hear president obama call for climate action in today 's # inaug2013 address . congratulations mr. president http : //bit.ly/vgnnwd kerstin shamberg ‏ -- since there 's no outgoing president , obama should say goodbye to himself , fly off in marine one and then come right back # inaug2013 # ornot andy borowitz ‏ -- republicans praise obama for offering bold vision to thwart : http : //nyr.kr/ufd56w allison hagerty ‏ -- do n't understand the point of obama being in this parade when you ca n't see him .. jason fekete ‏ -- that 's not joe biden running down pennsylvania avenue . looks more like biden running for the democratic nomination four years from now . carrie drummond ‏ -- love that the obama girls sat down and immediately pulled out cellphones . # justlikeus # inaug2013 ari fleischer -- obama 's thought bubble : come on . is this thing still going on ? get me back to the white house .	the pundits and comedians of twitter weigh in on monday 's inauguration day events
jefferson <tsp> alexandria , virginia ( cnn ) -- former u.s. rep. william jefferson was sentenced friday to 13 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction on 11 counts of corruption . jefferson was also ordered to forfeit more than $ 470,000 after his conviction for using his office to solicit bribes . he will also have to pay $ 1,100 in special assessments . the case against the former nine-term louisiana democrat included allegations of influence-peddling and the discovery of $ 90,000 in cash in his freezer . judge t.s . ellis will determine at a hearing next wednesday whether jefferson will remain free pending appeal . until then , he is free . the court 's sentence today reaffirms the principle that all people -- no matter what their title or position -- are equal before the law , ' said principal deputy assistant attorney general mythili raman in a statement . in a stunning betrayal of the public 's trust , former congressman jefferson repeatedly used his public office for private gain . the lengthy prison sentence imposed on mr. jefferson today is a stark reminder to all public officials that the consequences of accepting bribes can and will be severe . ' jefferson 's family was in the courtroom when district judge t.s . ellis handed down the sentence . he had faced up to 150 years in prison . this sentence should be a clear signal that our society will not tolerate bribery , ' u.s. attorney neil h. macbride said in a written statement . it 's not just another cost of doing business in government . mr. jefferson 's repeated attempts to sell his office caused significant damage to the public 's trust in our elected leaders . this sentence will begin to repair that damage and to restore that trust . mr. jefferson is well-known for the $ 90,000 found in his freezer . it is our hope that he will now be well-known for the tough sentence handed down today , showing that no one -- including our elected officials -- are above the law . ' jefferson , of new orleans , still faces the forfeiture of nearly $ 500,000 -- money a jury said is linked to criminal activity for which he has been convicted . on august 5 , a jury found jefferson guilty on four bribery counts , three counts of money laundering , three counts of wire fraud and one count of racketeering . he was acquitted on five other counts , including wire fraud and obstruction of justice . he had remained free prior to friday 's sentencing . jefferson was indicted by a federal grand jury on june 4 , 2007 , about two years after federal agents said they found the money in his freezer . authorities said the cash was part of a payment in marked bills from an fbi informant in a transaction captured on video . the trial was delayed while it was resolved whether an fbi search of jefferson 's congressional office was constitutional . defense attorney robert trout had asked the judge for leniency , citing jefferson 's personal history of humble beginnings and long-standing public service . prosecutors , in turn , filed a response saying jefferson deserved no preferential treatment since he still chose to cheat , steal and lie . ' congressman jefferson has still not accepted responsibility for his own criminal conduct , ' prosecutors wrote . he still rationalizes his own unethical , illegal and immoral conduct . ' cnn 's paul courson contributed to this report .	ex-rep. william jefferson gets 13 years in prison , 3 years'supervised release
jefferson <tsp> alexandria , virginia ( cnn ) -- former u.s. rep. william jefferson was sentenced friday to 13 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction on 11 counts of corruption . jefferson was also ordered to forfeit more than $ 470,000 after his conviction for using his office to solicit bribes . he will also have to pay $ 1,100 in special assessments . the case against the former nine-term louisiana democrat included allegations of influence-peddling and the discovery of $ 90,000 in cash in his freezer . judge t.s . ellis will determine at a hearing next wednesday whether jefferson will remain free pending appeal . until then , he is free . the court 's sentence today reaffirms the principle that all people -- no matter what their title or position -- are equal before the law , ' said principal deputy assistant attorney general mythili raman in a statement . in a stunning betrayal of the public 's trust , former congressman jefferson repeatedly used his public office for private gain . the lengthy prison sentence imposed on mr. jefferson today is a stark reminder to all public officials that the consequences of accepting bribes can and will be severe . ' jefferson 's family was in the courtroom when district judge t.s . ellis handed down the sentence . he had faced up to 150 years in prison . this sentence should be a clear signal that our society will not tolerate bribery , ' u.s. attorney neil h. macbride said in a written statement . it 's not just another cost of doing business in government . mr. jefferson 's repeated attempts to sell his office caused significant damage to the public 's trust in our elected leaders . this sentence will begin to repair that damage and to restore that trust . mr. jefferson is well-known for the $ 90,000 found in his freezer . it is our hope that he will now be well-known for the tough sentence handed down today , showing that no one -- including our elected officials -- are above the law . ' jefferson , of new orleans , still faces the forfeiture of nearly $ 500,000 -- money a jury said is linked to criminal activity for which he has been convicted . on august 5 , a jury found jefferson guilty on four bribery counts , three counts of money laundering , three counts of wire fraud and one count of racketeering . he was acquitted on five other counts , including wire fraud and obstruction of justice . he had remained free prior to friday 's sentencing . jefferson was indicted by a federal grand jury on june 4 , 2007 , about two years after federal agents said they found the money in his freezer . authorities said the cash was part of a payment in marked bills from an fbi informant in a transaction captured on video . the trial was delayed while it was resolved whether an fbi search of jefferson 's congressional office was constitutional . defense attorney robert trout had asked the judge for leniency , citing jefferson 's personal history of humble beginnings and long-standing public service . prosecutors , in turn , filed a response saying jefferson deserved no preferential treatment since he still chose to cheat , steal and lie . ' congressman jefferson has still not accepted responsibility for his own criminal conduct , ' prosecutors wrote . he still rationalizes his own unethical , illegal and immoral conduct . ' cnn 's paul courson contributed to this report .	new : jefferson remains free at least until wednesday hearing
jefferson <tsp> alexandria , virginia ( cnn ) -- former u.s. rep. william jefferson was sentenced friday to 13 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction on 11 counts of corruption . jefferson was also ordered to forfeit more than $ 470,000 after his conviction for using his office to solicit bribes . he will also have to pay $ 1,100 in special assessments . the case against the former nine-term louisiana democrat included allegations of influence-peddling and the discovery of $ 90,000 in cash in his freezer . judge t.s . ellis will determine at a hearing next wednesday whether jefferson will remain free pending appeal . until then , he is free . the court 's sentence today reaffirms the principle that all people -- no matter what their title or position -- are equal before the law , ' said principal deputy assistant attorney general mythili raman in a statement . in a stunning betrayal of the public 's trust , former congressman jefferson repeatedly used his public office for private gain . the lengthy prison sentence imposed on mr. jefferson today is a stark reminder to all public officials that the consequences of accepting bribes can and will be severe . ' jefferson 's family was in the courtroom when district judge t.s . ellis handed down the sentence . he had faced up to 150 years in prison . this sentence should be a clear signal that our society will not tolerate bribery , ' u.s. attorney neil h. macbride said in a written statement . it 's not just another cost of doing business in government . mr. jefferson 's repeated attempts to sell his office caused significant damage to the public 's trust in our elected leaders . this sentence will begin to repair that damage and to restore that trust . mr. jefferson is well-known for the $ 90,000 found in his freezer . it is our hope that he will now be well-known for the tough sentence handed down today , showing that no one -- including our elected officials -- are above the law . ' jefferson , of new orleans , still faces the forfeiture of nearly $ 500,000 -- money a jury said is linked to criminal activity for which he has been convicted . on august 5 , a jury found jefferson guilty on four bribery counts , three counts of money laundering , three counts of wire fraud and one count of racketeering . he was acquitted on five other counts , including wire fraud and obstruction of justice . he had remained free prior to friday 's sentencing . jefferson was indicted by a federal grand jury on june 4 , 2007 , about two years after federal agents said they found the money in his freezer . authorities said the cash was part of a payment in marked bills from an fbi informant in a transaction captured on video . the trial was delayed while it was resolved whether an fbi search of jefferson 's congressional office was constitutional . defense attorney robert trout had asked the judge for leniency , citing jefferson 's personal history of humble beginnings and long-standing public service . prosecutors , in turn , filed a response saying jefferson deserved no preferential treatment since he still chose to cheat , steal and lie . ' congressman jefferson has still not accepted responsibility for his own criminal conduct , ' prosecutors wrote . he still rationalizes his own unethical , illegal and immoral conduct . ' cnn 's paul courson contributed to this report .	in august , jefferson found guilty of bribery , money laundering , wire fraud , racketeering
interstate 15 <tsp> ( cnn ) -- a frigid winter storm system that put dallas in the deep freeze is hitting the east coast on sunday . luckily for those people , it should be a short visit . snow , ice or freezing rain will fall on washington , philadelphia and new york city , the national weather service said . on monday , temperatures will rise into the 40s and any accumulation should start to melt after the morning commute , the weather service predicts . folks in other parts of the country will need an extra blanket on the bed as unseasonably cold weather will continue . and some people in the gulf coast and southeast states will see heavy rain . on sunday , temperatures were expected to reach only about 10 degrees in the northern and central rockies , the northern plains and the upper midwest . sleet and freezing rain are forecast from the tennessee valley to the mid-atlantic region . the heaviest snow will fall across the central appalachian mountains , the weather service said . some areas of the mid-atlantic and the northeast will see as much as 3 inches of snow . the weather was causing delays at some of the nation 's major airports , especially for inbound flights . arrivals to philadelphia international airport were backed up by an average of 100 minutes , according to the federal aviation administration 's website . kennedy airport in new york had delays of nearly one hour , as did chicago 's o'hare . the twitter account for reagan airport in washington said there was a temporary halt of flights as crews treated runways . it advised passengers to check with their airlines on their flight status . all told , there were 2,459 u.s. flight cancellations on sunday and 804 seen for monday , according to the air travel tracking website flightaware.com , which tracks both mechanical and weather cancellations . nfl fans in several outdoor stadiums had to put on extra layers . the pittsburgh steelers pr team tweeted out a photo of a snow-dusted field as the team prepared to play miami . in philadelphia , it was even worse as flying flakes made it difficult to see , and then blanketed the playing surface . parts of texas , the upper south and the midwest socked by the winter storm will warm up just a little bit . the weather service said the temps will rise into the high 30s and 40s , but drop below freezing again sunday night . how cold was it ? on saturday , southern methodist university offered free tickets for its football game with central florida but did n't get many takers . all but a few seats in the stadium were empty . the high temperature at the dallas/fort worth airport saturday was 26 -- the coldest high temperature ever recorded there on any december 7 and the coldest december day in the area in 23 years , cnn affiliate wfaa-tv reported . at least seven people have died in storm-related incidents , with the texas state patrol reporting two weather-related fatalities on saturday but providing no details . in lewisville , about 25 miles north of dallas , the driver of a pickup lost control on an icy road , spun out of control before dawn on saturday on a road over lake lewisville , went over a guardrail and landed in the water . firefighters dove into the frigid water and towed the truck to the bridge . the unidentified driver died . a passenger was killed thursday when a vehicle lost control and crashed into another car in hockley county , the texas department of public safety said . in arkansas , a man was killed late thursday when a tree fell on his camper in pope county , the department of emergency management said . highway patrol officials in oklahoma blamed at least one death , in muskogee , on the weather . in new mexico , one person died when a semi crashed near clines corners . in arizona , a saturday night snowstorm stranded 300 vehicles along interstate 15 . rigs jackknifed and passenger cars slid into rigs , creating a chain-reaction accident , resulting in this enormous backup , ' arizona department of public safety officer bart graves told cnn . authorities were forced to shut the interstate for more than 12 hours to clear the road . we had travelers running out of gas . they provided them food , water , and blankets , ' graves said , adding that all injuries were minor . winter came much earlier than usual in many sections of the nation . farmersburg , indiana , recorded up to 10 inches of snow thursday and temperatures fell into the single digits at night . this was early for us to have this much measurable snow late in the fall , but has happened before , ' mark ivy told cnn ireport . it is more the cold that is unusual . ' in east kingsford , michigan , ireporter jason asselin said he 's covering up with blankets to keep out the cold . in december , our average temperatures are in the 20s , ' he said . currently it is zero degrees outside . ' across the high plains and into the great lakes , temperatures were expected to be 10 to 35 degrees below average . the wind chill index was predicted to drop as low as 35 to 45 degrees below zero in some areas . cnn 's melissa lefevre , jennifer gray , dave alsup , samantha mohr , jason morris and dave hennen contributed to this report .	new : a snowstorm strands 300 vehicles along interstate 15 in arizona
united nations <tsp> the united nations chairman investigating human rights in north korea said the leaders in the country , including supreme leader kim jong un , must be held accountable for crimes against humanity and urged the security council to bring perpetrators to the international criminal court . michael kirby , who led the u.n. commission of inquiry on human rights in north korea , held a meeting in new york on wednesday and engaged in a fiery debate with envoys from north korea . two north koreans who had escaped the country also spoke . the meeting came just hours after american jeffrey fowle landed in ohio after being freed from the hermit kingdom . the question that is before the united nations now is when we face such a moment of truth , will the united nations back away because of the steps belatedly taken by north korea in recent weeks ? and my hope is the answer to that question will be no . we do n't back away , ' kirby said . we stand for the principles of the united nations and we expect accountability for great crimes before justice . and that is the right of the people of north korea . ' the meeting was called by kirby just weeks after the european union and japan presented a draft resolution with strong language against north korea , encouraging others to push the country toward the international criminal court . february :'abundant evidence'of crimes against humanity in north korea , panel says the meeting was also to draw attention to the nation 's human rights violations , because kirby said there has been an effort in recent weeks for north korea to appear as if its record has changed . the meeting included multiple rounds of questions and answers between u.n. and north korean officials . i want to scrutinize what they have done , ' kirby said . he then cited his report on human rights in the country , originally issued in march 2014 to the united nations , that chronicled crimes against humanity in prison camps and ordinary prisons , crimes that targeted religious believers and starvation of citizens , among other crimes . north korea issued its own human rights report in response , which it called rosy . ' north korea : we have the'most advantageous human rights system' kim song , adviser for political affairs at the democratic people 's republic of korea 's mission to the united nations , denounced the u.n. report as groundless , ' saying investigators only talked with defectors of a negative disposition . ' he called those who escaped human scum . ' before introducing two witnesses from north korea , kirby told the audience to judge for themselves if they are human scum ' or witnesses trying to share their story . the witnesses recounted their lives in prison camp and under the control of the government . kim asked kirby if he had ever read the north korean constitution , which , kim said does not allow for human rights violations . i did not read the constitution before i prepared this report cover to cover , ' kirby said . but common experience teaches in some countries where great crimes are done against the people , a constitution and the words of a constitution are not as important as the actions of officials who defied the constitution . ' north korea :'we were forced to eat grass and soil' kirby , a retired australian judge , said he has read through north korea 's report on human rights and said some statements could be viewed as fair comment , ' such as criticism of the united states and other countries for their own human rights records . he urged officials to allow citizens to read his report , translated to korean . escaped north korean kim hye sook rebutted some of the north koreans'comments at the meeting , after they suggested witnesses were paid to lie . i heard from north korea about the reality that should be reflected in the report . i was a person who lived there for 28 years and i drew a map based on memory of 28 years . i compared that with a satellite image and that was 100 % accurate , ' kim said . we do n't need to say anything more . i think this really in itself testifies . '	united nations faces moment of truth , investigator says
melbourne <tsp> ( cnn ) -- jason day nearly pulled out of the world cup of golf after learning he had lost eight relatives to typhoon haiyan in the philippines . instead he completed an emotional double victory sunday in melbourne as he claimed the individual title and paired with adam scott to lead australia to team honors . after finishing with a final round 70 for 10-under at royal melbourne , day said his filipino mother dening and his sisters had been in this thoughts throughout the event . they were in the gallery to watch the 24-year-old hold off thomas bjorn of denmark by two shots in a tense final round . i am just happy that she is here and i get to hug her , ' he said . it would have been the easiest thing for me to just go ahead and pull out of the tournament with what has been going on over the last week , just to be up there with my mum and support her , ' he added . day lost his grandmother , an uncle and six cousins in the november 8 tragedy and he said that both he and world no.2 scott would assist with the relief program . we will definitely be giving some money or raising money and trying to raise awareness to what has really happened over there . to have that lead going into sunday with all that stuff going on , to finally finish off and hit a great shot into 18 like i did and to win like that was a very big move in my golfing career . ' scott , who has won the australia pga and australia masters title in the past month , continued his superb form by taking third in the individual standings . their combined score left them 10 shots clear of the united states in the team category , australia 's first success for 24 years in the annual competition . bjorn , who led after two rounds and trailed day by just one shot heading into the last day , paid tribute to the winner . i could n't be happier for jason . he has gone through a rough time of late and for him to even be here is a big thing and then to go and go and win the golf tournament , and for him to also win the team event , is fantastic , ' he said . scott will head to the australian open in sydney this week , bidding a triple of the three main tournaments held in his country , only the second man in history to achieve the feat if he does emerge the winner . day will also be competing at royal sydney .	jason day wins world cup of golf in melbourne
china <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it 's time mass worker casualties stopped seeming so commonplace . in april , a garment factory in bangladesh collapsed , killing more than 1,100 people . the previous day , cracks had been spotted in the building 's structure . despite the danger , garment workers were told to report to work , ' cnnmoney reported . and on monday , more than 100 people died in a fire at a poultry factory in northeastern china , not far from north korea -- an area the wall street journal says is known as the iowa of china . ' sounds wholesome , huh ? all but one of the gates to the burning building were locked during the blaze , trapping people inside , according to state and international media reports . what 's arresting is that most china experts quoted on the disaster expressed little surprise . many have compared this week 's fire to a similar one at a toy factory in 1993 , which killed 87 workers . in both cases , doors were locked . workers trapped . ( t ) he lack of proper fire safety equipment , exits and training for workers are all too commonplace in china 's factories , ' the china labour bulletin says in a news release . these events should ignite international outrage . what kind of country is this ? ' wang shoufeng asked this week . cnn reporters found him outside the charred poultry plant . his wife was among the dead , and he was yelling at passing vehicles and demanding answers , ' the report says . opinion : the bloodshed behind our cheap clothes his screams must not go unheard -- both in china , a country that seems bent on profit at virtually any expense of human life ; and in the west , where disasters like these can seem so far away , or so unthinkable , that they do n't register in the public consciousness . there are many signs , however , that the china of today is not the china of 1993 , when the toy factory fire made headlines . it 's more difficult to hide in the age of social media , and chinese citizens are becoming more critical of their government . that 's clear in wang 's response and that of other victims'family members , who reportedly gathered at the site of the fire to protest and insist on information . their questions -- why were the doors locked ? why have n't we been able to see the bodies of our family members ? -- should be answered . and i 'll hold out hope they will be , if not by the government than by a crusading citizen . the situation reminds me of chinese artist ai weiwei 's project to name the child victims of a 2008 earthquake in southwest china . when the chinese government would n't release the names , ai set out to gather them independently . the result was a fitting tribute to the dead . a work of art . in addition to gathering the names , with the help of volunteers , ai created a wall of children 's backpacks in germany . he called it remembering . ' the 9,000 backpacks , viewed from afar , spelled out this sentence , which reportedly was spoken by a family member of a child who was killed in the earthquake . she lived happily for seven years in this world . ' the 1993 fire in china also spawned a hero : yuying chen . according to a post on scienceblogs , the woman was 15 when she survived the fire at a toy factory . she went on to become an internationally recognized human rights leader . ' will someone in china take up the cause of the new victims ? in bangladesh , too , there are signs the tragedy may lead to safer work conditions , but there is still much progress that needs to be made . at least 40 companies , including abercrombie & fitch , h & m and calvin klein have signed onto an agreement called the accord on fire and building safety in bangladesh . the document envisions , quite reasonably , a world in which no worker needs to fear fires , building collapses , or other accidents that could be prevented with reasonable health and safety measures . ' it requires safety checks and the like . so obviously everyone signed that , right ? nope . walmart and the gap are notable standouts , according to the international labor rights forum , which is organizing protests of those u.s. companies . walmart and gap reportedly are working on standards of their own , which could yield progress but continues to draw criticism . instead of following on these issues , u.s. companies should be leading the charge for enforceable and legally binding measures that will ensure the safety of workers in all countries . their unwillingness to do so suggests that maybe they figure these tragedies , and their victims , will be forgotten soon enough . prove them wrong . the opinions expressed in this column are solely those of john d. sutter .	more than 100 people died this week at a poultry plant fire in china
bangladesh <tsp> ( cnn ) -- it 's time mass worker casualties stopped seeming so commonplace . in april , a garment factory in bangladesh collapsed , killing more than 1,100 people . the previous day , cracks had been spotted in the building 's structure . despite the danger , garment workers were told to report to work , ' cnnmoney reported . and on monday , more than 100 people died in a fire at a poultry factory in northeastern china , not far from north korea -- an area the wall street journal says is known as the iowa of china . ' sounds wholesome , huh ? all but one of the gates to the burning building were locked during the blaze , trapping people inside , according to state and international media reports . what 's arresting is that most china experts quoted on the disaster expressed little surprise . many have compared this week 's fire to a similar one at a toy factory in 1993 , which killed 87 workers . in both cases , doors were locked . workers trapped . ( t ) he lack of proper fire safety equipment , exits and training for workers are all too commonplace in china 's factories , ' the china labour bulletin says in a news release . these events should ignite international outrage . what kind of country is this ? ' wang shoufeng asked this week . cnn reporters found him outside the charred poultry plant . his wife was among the dead , and he was yelling at passing vehicles and demanding answers , ' the report says . opinion : the bloodshed behind our cheap clothes his screams must not go unheard -- both in china , a country that seems bent on profit at virtually any expense of human life ; and in the west , where disasters like these can seem so far away , or so unthinkable , that they do n't register in the public consciousness . there are many signs , however , that the china of today is not the china of 1993 , when the toy factory fire made headlines . it 's more difficult to hide in the age of social media , and chinese citizens are becoming more critical of their government . that 's clear in wang 's response and that of other victims'family members , who reportedly gathered at the site of the fire to protest and insist on information . their questions -- why were the doors locked ? why have n't we been able to see the bodies of our family members ? -- should be answered . and i 'll hold out hope they will be , if not by the government than by a crusading citizen . the situation reminds me of chinese artist ai weiwei 's project to name the child victims of a 2008 earthquake in southwest china . when the chinese government would n't release the names , ai set out to gather them independently . the result was a fitting tribute to the dead . a work of art . in addition to gathering the names , with the help of volunteers , ai created a wall of children 's backpacks in germany . he called it remembering . ' the 9,000 backpacks , viewed from afar , spelled out this sentence , which reportedly was spoken by a family member of a child who was killed in the earthquake . she lived happily for seven years in this world . ' the 1993 fire in china also spawned a hero : yuying chen . according to a post on scienceblogs , the woman was 15 when she survived the fire at a toy factory . she went on to become an internationally recognized human rights leader . ' will someone in china take up the cause of the new victims ? in bangladesh , too , there are signs the tragedy may lead to safer work conditions , but there is still much progress that needs to be made . at least 40 companies , including abercrombie & fitch , h & m and calvin klein have signed onto an agreement called the accord on fire and building safety in bangladesh . the document envisions , quite reasonably , a world in which no worker needs to fear fires , building collapses , or other accidents that could be prevented with reasonable health and safety measures . ' it requires safety checks and the like . so obviously everyone signed that , right ? nope . walmart and the gap are notable standouts , according to the international labor rights forum , which is organizing protests of those u.s. companies . walmart and gap reportedly are working on standards of their own , which could yield progress but continues to draw criticism . instead of following on these issues , u.s. companies should be leading the charge for enforceable and legally binding measures that will ensure the safety of workers in all countries . their unwillingness to do so suggests that maybe they figure these tragedies , and their victims , will be forgotten soon enough . prove them wrong . the opinions expressed in this column are solely those of john d. sutter .	he says gap and walmart should sign onto a safety accord for bangladesh workers
iran <tsp> ( cnn ) -- the fbi has launched an investigation into apparent leaks of classified information involving a cyberwarfare program against iran , a u.s. official said wednesday . fbi spokesman paul bresson had no comment on the reported investigation . sen. saxby chambliss , ranking republican on the senate intelligence committee , said he was informed that an fbi inquiry was under way . the senator from georgia and other leaders of the house and senate intelligence committees issued a joint statement tuesday deploring the apparent leaks . in recent weeks , we have become increasingly concerned at the continued leaks regarding sensitive intelligence programs and activities , including specific details of sources and methods , ' said chambliss ; chairwoman dianne feinstein , d-california ; chairman mike rogers , r-michigan ; and ranking member c.a . dutch ' ruppersberger , d-maryland , in the statement . these disclosures have seriously interfered with ongoing intelligence programs and have put at jeopardy our intelligence capability to act in the future . each disclosure puts american lives at risk , makes it more difficult to recruit assets , strains the trust of our partners and threatens imminent and irreparable damage to our national security in the face of urgent and rapidly adapting threats worldwide . ' the house and senate intelligence committee leaders said they intended to review potential legislation to strengthen authorities and procedures with respect to access to classified information and disclosure of it , as well as to ensure that criminal and administrative measures are taken each time sensitive information is improperly disclosed . ' we also intend to press for the executive branch to take tangible and demonstrable steps to detect and deter intelligence leaks , and to fully , fairly , and impartially investigate the disclosures that have already taken place . ' the committee is expected to add leak provisions later this month , when it takes up the fy13 intelligence authorization bill . the plan is for the senate to vote on the measure before the summer recess . although the house has already passed a version of the bill without the leak provisions , they would likely be added during a conference with the senate . spyware infiltrating iranian computers the white house pushed back against suggestions it could be leaking classified information for political purposes . this administration takes all appropriate and necessary steps to prevent leaks of classified information or sensitive information that could risk ongoing counterterrorism or intelligence operations , ' spokesman jay carney said wednesday aboard air force one as the president traveled to campaign events on the west coast . any suggestion that this administration has authorized intentional leaks of classified information for political gain is grossly irresponsible . ' asked about the white house 's response , sen. john mccain told cnn international 's amanpour , ' i would expect nothing else from the white house . but the fact is that the portrayal of the president in these stories is nothing short of heroic . ' the ranking member of the senate armed services committee added , clearly , administration officials were involved . ' mccain , r-arizona , said he has great faith ' in the fbi but that a matter as weighty as national security probably deserves a special counsel . ' he continued , it 's clear that the iranians will profit from having this information . in fact , they might even feel they are justified in cybercounterattacks . ' feinstein told cnn 's the situation room with wolf blitzer ' that she did n't believe any of the information came from the top ranks of the white house . i think one of the problems is , information is not closely held sufficiently , ' she said . she described policies regarding responding to leaks as archaic ' and said they need to be revamped . the government 's failure to keep its secrets has dissuaded some people from giving information to the united states and has endangered lives , she said , but she is unaware of anyone having been killed as a result . she would not go into specifics . people just talk too much , ' she said . this did n't used to be the case . but suddenly it 's like it 's a spreadable disease . ' john kerry , the democratic chairman of the senate foreign relations committee , expressed confidence wednesday that the white house played no role in the apparent leaks . i know that people at the white house were not involved , ' he said . he disputed mccain 's assertion to the contrary . mccain needs to know , before people make that kind of accusation , the reporters themselves have said it did not come from anybody on the obama team or on the democratic side or anything like that , ' kerry said . i take that at face value . ' but he said such a leak endangers our long-term security . ' a report in the new york times on friday provided classified details of what it described as a u.s cyberattack targeting iran 's nuclear centrifuge program . since shortly after he became president , barack obama has ordered cyberattacks targeting computers that run iran 's nuclear enrichment facilities , the report said , attributing the information to participants in the program . the white house has said it did not authorize any leak of such information . mccain said armed services committee chairman carl levin has agreed to hold a hearing on the matter . some republicans , including mccain , have called for a special prosecutor to investigate . but deputy attorney general james cole , in response to a question from sen. john cornyn , r-texas , said wednesday that he does not believe a special prosecutor is needed in this case . chambliss said he expects the fbi to conduct a full and fair investigation , including a review of administration officials who have been quoted anonymously or directly . ' feinstein said she had discussed the possibility of a joint hearing with levin . on tuesday , white house deputy press secretary josh earnest said the administration believes that classified information should remain secret for a reason , and publicizing it would pose a threat to our national security . ' mccain and chambliss cited other recent leaks as well , including information on the administration 's efforts to expand its drone program and the president 's involvement in kill lists ' against militants in yemen and pakistan . also , the public airing of details surrounding a recently disrupted bomb plot in yemen by al qaeda in the arabian peninsula angered intelligence and national security officials . cnn 's terry frieden , carol cratty , adam levine , ted barrett , pam benson , dan lothian , tom dunlavey and josh levs contributed to this report .	a report in the new york times provides classified details of a u.s cyberattack on iran
matthew mcconaughey <tsp> ( cnn ) -- was the third time a charm for jim carrey as the host of saturday night live ? ' the stakes were pretty high for the elastic-faced funnyman , whose new movie dumb and dumber to ' comes out next month . preliminary reviews of his snl performance were mixed , but there 's no denying that carrey rose to the occasion , leading to some hilarious scenes . he took a trip down memory lane as the snl cast impersonated his biggest roles in a family reunion , which included a cameo from dumb and dumber ' co-star jeff daniels . other memorable moments included a parody within a parody with his take on actor matthew mcconaughey 's odd lincoln car commercials . he also showed off his penchant for physical comedy in a dance-off with snl ' cast member kate mckinnon to sia 's chandelier ' music video , complete with nude body suits and a cameo from musical guest iggy azalea . did you catch the episode ? tell us what you thought in the comments .	carrey plays matthew mcconaughey 's role in lincoln car commercial
philadelphia <tsp> philadelphia ( cnn ) -- the suspects charged with imprisoning four mentally disabled people in a philadelphia boiler room may have been holding seven other people , including the accused ringleader 's 19-year-old niece and six children , police said wednesday . the niece , beatrice weston , had been kept in a closet in an upstairs apartment in the same building where the first four were found saturday afternoon , police said . she was being treated for horrific ' injuries after being found beaten , malnourished and covered with scars tuesday afternoon , police commissioner charles ramsey told reporters . i 've been a police officer for more than 40 years , and i 've never seen injuries like this , ' ramsey said . philadelphia mayor michael nutter added , i 'm not sure horrific covers it . this is sheer madness . ' the owner of the northeast philadelphia apartment building found the original four victims locked in a dank sub-basement chamber that reeked of urine and excrement . authorities are investigating whether beatrice weston 's aunt , 51-year-old linda weston , and three others now charged in the case had been stealing the victims'social security checks . the 19-year-old was being held in the apartment rented by linda weston 's daughter , jean mcintosh , who became the fourth person charged in the case wednesday afternoon , philadelphia police spokesman lt. ray evers told cnn . jean was a cooperating witness . we did n't know she was a defendant , ' evers said . but after talking with the captives and others , we discovered jean was lying . ' when police returned to the building tuesday with a warrant to search mcintosh 's apartment , beatrice weston had been moved . but they found evidence she had been there , and convinced mcintosh to produce her , evers said . beatrice weston had burn marks on her body and marks on her ankles as though she 'd been struck by pellets , ramsey said -- injuries that clearly had been inflicted over some length of time . this girl was beaten and tortured . it makes you want to cry when you see her , ' ramsey said . beatrice weston , who had been reported missing in 2009 , and the six children were taken into protective custody at various locations around philadelphia as the investigation spread , evers said . in addition , mcintosh 's 8- and 10-year-old children were also placed in protective custody , he said . mcintosh , 32 , was charged with kidnapping , conspiracy , unlawful restraint , false imprisonment , aggravated assault , simple assault , burglary and trespass , the philadelphia district attorney 's office said in a statement . a judge set her bail at $ 1 million wednesday , office spokeswoman tasha jameson said . bail has been set at $ 2.5 million apiece for weston and the two men charged in the case , 47-year-old gregory thomas and 49-year-old eddie wright . i 'm feeling sick to my stomach , ' danyell tisdale , a neighborhood block captain who alerted landlord turgut gozleveli to suspicious activity , told cnn on wednesday . i was speaking so highly for her . she was a nice neighbor and did n't bother anybody . it 's shocking to me that she had anything to do with it . my sister 's children played with her two children . ' police believe two of the six children placed in protective custody wednesday -- ages 2 and 5 -- are the children of tamara breeden , one of the four people found in the boiler room . authorities did not divulge how breeden became pregnant . investigators took dna samples from breeden and the three men held with her to determine whether any of them are fathers of the children , evers said . breeden , edwin sanabria and herbert knowles were found locked in the pitch-black , 15-by-6-foot room with no food and only a bucket for a toilet . a fourth man , identified as derwin mclemire , had been chained to the boiler , police said . mclemire , breeden and a knowles , told cnn affiliate kyw that their social security information was taken from them , that they had been beaten and that they lived in fear of their alleged captors . that was real dirty of you . that was wrong , ' a tearful mclemire told kyw . he said he is from north carolina , that he met weston on an online dating site and had once he attempted to escape , only to be recaptured . the fbi joined the probe after detectives discovered one of the accused had traveled to at least two other states with the people found in the boiler room . weston served eight years in prison for killing her sister 's boyfriend in the early 1980s , ramsey said earlier . in that case , the victim was held captive for an extended period of time , locked in a closet and he literally starved to death , ' he said . you would think that someone who 's committed a crime that horrific would still be in jail , ' he said tuesday . but she was n't , and obviously she was n't fully rehabilitated , either . ' cnn 's melanie whitley , tom faust , ross levitt and kyra phillips contributed to this report .	philadelphia 's mayor calls the case sheer madness '
frank <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- u.s. rep. barney frank , a prominent 16-term liberal democrat from massachusetts and arch-enemy of political conservatives nationwide , announced monday that he does not intend to seek re-election in 2012 . frank , 71 , said his decision to retire from congress was prompted partly by changes made to the boundaries of his u.s. house district . as part of massachusetts'recently concluded redistricting process , frank 's 4th congressional district will lose the heavily democratic blue-collar port city of new bedford while gaining several smaller , more conservative towns . i will miss this job , ( but ) the district is very substantially changed , ' with roughly 325,000 new constituents , frank told reporters . the veteran congressman said he was planning to retire after 2014 regardless , but said he did n't want to be torn ' next year between the need to serve his existing constituents , reach out to new district residents and protect his signature dodd-frank financial regulatory reform law . president barack obama issued a statement praising frank 's public service , calling the congressman a fierce advocate for the people of massachusetts and americans everywhere who needed a voice . ' while massachusetts'entire house delegation is democratic , local republicans insist frank 's retirement will put the reconfigured district in play . it is clear that congressman frank was not looking forward to another hard fought campaign after losing his gerrymandered district and spending nearly every penny he had in 2010 , ' massachusetts republican party executive director nate little said in a written statement . republicans were already gearing up for a strong race and frank 's sudden retirement injects added optimism and excitement into the election . ' frank , first elected to the u.s. house of representatives in 1980 , is the top democrat on the powerful house financial services committee . the controversial 2010 dodd-frank measure , designed to rein in wall street excesses after the 2008 financial collapse , passed the house without any gop support . frank made headlines earlier in his career by becoming one of the first openly gay members of congress . he was formally reprimanded by the house in 1990 for allegations relating to his association with a male prostitute . launching his career as an aide to boston mayor kevin white in the late 1960s , frank quickly became known for an acidic political wit . one of the advantages to me of not running for office is i do n't even have to pretend to try to be nice to people i do n't like , ' frank joked with reporters monday . some of you may not think i 've been good at it , but i 've been trying . ' frank 's current district -- which extends from the affluent , liberal boston suburbs of newton and brookline to the cities of new bedford and fall river -- is considered safe democratic political terrain . frank did , however , receive an unusually strong challenge from republican sean bielat in 2010 . frank ultimately defeated bielat , 54 % to 43 % .	frank , a democrat , was first elected to the house from massachusetts in 1980
frank <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- u.s. rep. barney frank , a prominent 16-term liberal democrat from massachusetts and arch-enemy of political conservatives nationwide , announced monday that he does not intend to seek re-election in 2012 . frank , 71 , said his decision to retire from congress was prompted partly by changes made to the boundaries of his u.s. house district . as part of massachusetts'recently concluded redistricting process , frank 's 4th congressional district will lose the heavily democratic blue-collar port city of new bedford while gaining several smaller , more conservative towns . i will miss this job , ( but ) the district is very substantially changed , ' with roughly 325,000 new constituents , frank told reporters . the veteran congressman said he was planning to retire after 2014 regardless , but said he did n't want to be torn ' next year between the need to serve his existing constituents , reach out to new district residents and protect his signature dodd-frank financial regulatory reform law . president barack obama issued a statement praising frank 's public service , calling the congressman a fierce advocate for the people of massachusetts and americans everywhere who needed a voice . ' while massachusetts'entire house delegation is democratic , local republicans insist frank 's retirement will put the reconfigured district in play . it is clear that congressman frank was not looking forward to another hard fought campaign after losing his gerrymandered district and spending nearly every penny he had in 2010 , ' massachusetts republican party executive director nate little said in a written statement . republicans were already gearing up for a strong race and frank 's sudden retirement injects added optimism and excitement into the election . ' frank , first elected to the u.s. house of representatives in 1980 , is the top democrat on the powerful house financial services committee . the controversial 2010 dodd-frank measure , designed to rein in wall street excesses after the 2008 financial collapse , passed the house without any gop support . frank made headlines earlier in his career by becoming one of the first openly gay members of congress . he was formally reprimanded by the house in 1990 for allegations relating to his association with a male prostitute . launching his career as an aide to boston mayor kevin white in the late 1960s , frank quickly became known for an acidic political wit . one of the advantages to me of not running for office is i do n't even have to pretend to try to be nice to people i do n't like , ' frank joked with reporters monday . some of you may not think i 've been good at it , but i 've been trying . ' frank 's current district -- which extends from the affluent , liberal boston suburbs of newton and brookline to the cities of new bedford and fall river -- is considered safe democratic political terrain . frank did , however , receive an unusually strong challenge from republican sean bielat in 2010 . frank ultimately defeated bielat , 54 % to 43 % .	frank , an openly gay member of congress , was reprimanded by the house in 1990
frank <tsp> washington ( cnn ) -- u.s. rep. barney frank , a prominent 16-term liberal democrat from massachusetts and arch-enemy of political conservatives nationwide , announced monday that he does not intend to seek re-election in 2012 . frank , 71 , said his decision to retire from congress was prompted partly by changes made to the boundaries of his u.s. house district . as part of massachusetts'recently concluded redistricting process , frank 's 4th congressional district will lose the heavily democratic blue-collar port city of new bedford while gaining several smaller , more conservative towns . i will miss this job , ( but ) the district is very substantially changed , ' with roughly 325,000 new constituents , frank told reporters . the veteran congressman said he was planning to retire after 2014 regardless , but said he did n't want to be torn ' next year between the need to serve his existing constituents , reach out to new district residents and protect his signature dodd-frank financial regulatory reform law . president barack obama issued a statement praising frank 's public service , calling the congressman a fierce advocate for the people of massachusetts and americans everywhere who needed a voice . ' while massachusetts'entire house delegation is democratic , local republicans insist frank 's retirement will put the reconfigured district in play . it is clear that congressman frank was not looking forward to another hard fought campaign after losing his gerrymandered district and spending nearly every penny he had in 2010 , ' massachusetts republican party executive director nate little said in a written statement . republicans were already gearing up for a strong race and frank 's sudden retirement injects added optimism and excitement into the election . ' frank , first elected to the u.s. house of representatives in 1980 , is the top democrat on the powerful house financial services committee . the controversial 2010 dodd-frank measure , designed to rein in wall street excesses after the 2008 financial collapse , passed the house without any gop support . frank made headlines earlier in his career by becoming one of the first openly gay members of congress . he was formally reprimanded by the house in 1990 for allegations relating to his association with a male prostitute . launching his career as an aide to boston mayor kevin white in the late 1960s , frank quickly became known for an acidic political wit . one of the advantages to me of not running for office is i do n't even have to pretend to try to be nice to people i do n't like , ' frank joked with reporters monday . some of you may not think i 've been good at it , but i 've been trying . ' frank 's current district -- which extends from the affluent , liberal boston suburbs of newton and brookline to the cities of new bedford and fall river -- is considered safe democratic political terrain . frank did , however , receive an unusually strong challenge from republican sean bielat in 2010 . frank ultimately defeated bielat , 54 % to 43 % .	frank says his new district boundaries contributed to his decision to retire

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